Final Odyssey
by FFegni
Summary: Sequell to Lost Fantasy. After ten years the Immortals return and the trouble is not far behind. With a Blue Mage missing the SeeD and Immortals will do anything to find her.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This goes for the entire story. **

This is the sequell off Lost Fantasy, I advise you to read that one first, otherwise you may be confused about some parts. But it is not necesarry ofcourse.

I hope you will enjoy this new adventure.

**Chapter 1  
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><p>The sand under her feet, the ocean and its salty air, it all reminds her of time long gone. She sailed the oceans, but they were different than the one she is staring at now, she was the most fearsome pirate to sail the seas. That all happened a long time ago, but it did happen here, in this world.<p>

She knows for sure that this is the world of the _mortals,_she remembers the last time she was here, or what looked exactly like this place, it was a replica of this place in a Time Compressed world, every little detail was exactly the same. Years ago she had come to take her friends back to their own world.

This time however she didn't come back alone, the _others_ are with her. The Immortals are back in the _mortal_world. They don't know how or why, but they are back. Back into a world they weren't suppose to return to.

Before they could find the reason why they are back, the most know _when_they are. They were happy to find Edea and she informed them it was ten years since they last set foot in this world, the same time that passed into their world. Sarah concluded that something had changed after Time Compression and the two worlds _flow_ in the same time, meaning one day on this world is one day on theirs.

So they found out when they are, but now they need to figure out why. Cid told them nothing was wrong, all of his children are alright. The immortals suspected it had something to do with the dream Sarah had, but they couldn't be sure, so they hadn't told Cid or Edea about it yet. _No__need__to__worry__them._

Seth didn't really know them all that well, so she wasn't really listening at all the details about everyone in the last ten years. Digging her heels in the sands she watches the ocean, thinking about her best friend Aneira, her son Sed and the adventures they had, the good and the bad. She misses her friend and son terrible, the only comfort she has is that she _will_ see them again, sometime, but she doesn't know when. It could be one year, it could be a million.

Seth looks to her fellow Immortals and she sees that Kaim, Sarah and Ming are still talking with Edea. Cid was probably making some phone calls, telling his children about their return. She makes her way towards them but stops in mid-step when she sees a small child playing in the sand. She hadn't noticed her before, a girl with blond hair.

"Hello," she said. "Who are you?"

The child looks up and Seth sees a pair of brilliant blue eyes with a purple swirl in them which tell Seth exactly who this child's mother is.

A hand covered in mud is outstretched and Seth grabs it.

"I am Ayla."

"Hi, I am Seth," Seth said and she shakes Ayla's small hand. "How old are you."

"I am five," she said proudly.

"So you really are a big girl," Seth can see the likeness to Quistis, even though she had only see her for a short time, and also she can see Ming in this child. Apart from the eyes they have the same nose and cheekbones. She wonders who her father is. "Nice to meet you."

Ayla continues building her sandcastle and Seth helps her wherever she can, remembering the time she build sandcastles with Sed.

Seth didn't hear Ming and Edea approaching, not until their laughter announced their presence. It must be funny to see a small child and a grown woman, both covered in mud, building the biggest sandcastle they had ever seen.

"Quistis is Ayla's mother," Edea told her softly without Ayla hearing.

"I thought so. She looks so much like her."

"She is spending the weekend with Cid and me while her parents are working. We will leave for Esthar in two days, next week is our private anniversary party," she lifts Ayla in her arms and holds her on her hip. "It is time to eat young lady."

"No." Ayla whines. "I am not hungry. I want to finish my castle with Seth." She stretches her arms towards Seth and Seth lifts her in her arms.

"How about we finish it after diner?"

Ayla's entire face light up, "Can we Matron?"

"I don't see why not."

Ayla struggles out of Seth's arms and starts running towards the orphanage. The three adult are laughing at her departure.

But their smiles leave their faces when they see Cid rushing out of the house, a bewildered look on his face.

"What's wrong honey?" Edea asks her husband while placing her hand on his upper arm.

"I received a message off Squall. It is about Quistis."

Ming and Seth share a distressed look.

"She is MIA."

_Missing in action?_

Minutes later everyone was seated across the large dining table, a sour look upon their faces. They realized it couldn't be a coincident they were brought back on the same days that Quistis went missing. Seth is playing with her fork, she is not hungry at all, and none of them are. Only Ayla is digging in her food and not in a proper way, she has spent too much time with her uncle Zell, which her father uses to tease him with. Ayla has no idea that the adults are tense; she is so focused on finishing her food so that she can finish her sandcastle together with Seth.

Ayla has no idea her mother is missing and the others intend to keep it that way.

"Hurry," Ayla points her spoon towards Seth with a big grin on her face.

When nobody reacts a frown appears on Ayla's face and she asks, "Is something wrong?"

Cid is the first to put a feign smile on his face. "There is nothing wrong sweetheart."

Ayla grabs Seth hand, intending to drag her along.

"Ayla," Edea warns, which makes her drop Seth's hands and she starts pouting.

"Seth will join you soon," Edea said while shooing Ayla away.

'Okay," Ayla shrugs her shoulders and walk outside. Grabbing her bucket which is lying on the porch, she turns around and shouts back in the house, "don't be late!" She runs to her sandcastle, filling her bucket with water on the way.

Edea watches her until she is safely playing on the beach, some distance from the ocean, before she returns inside. She takes her seat again and folds her hands in her lap. Her stomach is grumbling but she can't force anything through her throat.

"The Ragnarok will pick us up." Cid said quietly. "Selphie and Zell will come and take us to Esthar. They will be here in a few hours."

_Esthar, __the __hyper bolic __city._ Seth doesn't know much about that city, except for what Kaim and Sarah told her, both Kaim and Sarah had spend some time in that city. She remembered Sarah told her something about what happened in that city, about another Sorceress, a woman named Adel, but she can't remember any of the details. Seth was brought back out of her thoughts by Edea's soft voice.

"You know something," Edea unfolds her hands and places them on the table, drumming her fingers softly on the table.

Seth looked at her fellow immortals; they had agreed they wouldn't tell Cid and Edea about the dream, at least not yet. They still hadn't any proof that the dreams are real, Seth hopes this one isn't real. With only spending so little time with the small child she had already formed a band with her, almost as fast as she did with Tolten's child, the child that was named after her.

Nobody answers. They do know something and yet they don't know anything. Everyone is lost in their own thoughts; blank eyes stare at various objects. The whistle of the boiling kettle snaps everyone out of their daze. Edea puts the kettle from the stove and Seth walks out of the door, she had told that little girl that she would help her with her sandcastle and Seth is a woman true to her word.

* * *

><p>Irvine is watching his friend closely, in the past ten years Seifer has become a good friend. After the whole Sorceress and Guardian issues and then his tribal Seifer had slowly warmed up to them, and they to him. Irvine has to admit that most of it must have come from both Rinoa and Quistis; even Ellone had helped a lot. But now his apparent permanent scowl has returned on his face. Irvine couldn't blame him; he would have gone crazy if Selphie went missing.<p>

When Kiros got _the_ call from the Lunar Base he and Seifer had just returned from a mission in the Great Salt Lake. An Abandon had appeared again, or so a few eyewitnesses said, they were sent out to investigate and if necessary kill the Abandon. The eyewitnesses didn't lie, the monster did appear; only there wasn't one but there were five of them. Irvine had to radio for backup. He and Seifer could easily take care of one Abandon, even two they could handle but not five. With the backup Esthar send they had dealt with that problem in no time, but they couldn't figure out where the monsters came from. They went back to Esthar to report to Laguna and ask him what to do next when Kiros rushed in and told them about what happened near the Lunar Base.

_The __Thor __has __crashed __outside __the __Lunar __Base. __Nida __Jackson __is __badly __wounded; __the __medics __are __working __on __him __right __now. __Delia __Neva, __she __is __dead. __And __Quistis__…__Quistis __is __gone._

It took all of Irvine's strength to keep Seifer from doing something, he will regret later, to Laguna. He kept screaming about how he had sent her there, and now she was gone. Kiros tried to reason with him but to no avail. After Seifer ranted for a while it was Ellone who was able to calm him down with a few words and a tight hug.

He grunted an apology to Laguna, he grabbed his coat and Irvine didn't need to guess where he was going. In the end Kiros and Irvine went with him, an Esthar soldier was driving them and the only sound in the car was the humming sound of the engine. Irvine wanted to comfort his friend but he didn't know how. He really wasn't the comforting type, that was where he had Selphie for, but Selphie was back in garden, _does __she __know __that __one __of __her __best __friends __is __missing? _Irvine wondered while he stared out of the window.

The last remaining of smoke was disappearing some distance away from the Lunar Base. Irvine could see the Thor; the cockpit was separated from the hull. All kind of wires and metal structures spread between the two halves.

_How could anyone survive this? Well they almost didn't. _His subconscious chided. _One is dead, another is facing death and the last is missing. _

In the Lunar Base they were brought up to speed, but it wasn't much, nor was any of it helpful. The Thor was having some kind of engine trouble; the researchers were checking the black box at the moment. Nida was found in the cockpit, cuts covered his arms and his face. He had internal bleedings and the medics had to operate immediately, they didn't have an update yet. Delia Neva was found dead with a knife plunged through her chest; she was lying in the engine room. Irvine thought she probable encountered whoever was messing with the engine, and she had to pay the highest price. There was however no trace of Quistis, it was as if she simply had disappeared into thin air. It reminded Irvine too much about what happened ten years ago, then Quistis too had disappeared, along with Ellone. Irvine is sure that Quistis can take care of herself in any situation, but still he will feel a lot better when he will see her again, and he certainly isn't the only one.

Waiting never has been, and will never be Seifer's style, but they can't do anything besides waiting. If they would help they would only be in the way, the researchers are capable of doing this on their own, and they don't need SeeD destroying the crime scene.

"Please stop pacing," Irvine pleaded. He was getting nervous seeing Seifer walk back and forth with that scowl on his face, "I am sure Quisty is okay."

Seifer turned around sharply after hearing his wife's name. "You don't know," he points his finger angrily towards Irvine who backs away partly, he had never seen Seifer so angry before, "for all we know she could be…." Seifer couldn't finish his sentence, nor would Irvine or Kiros want to hear that.

She couldn't be dead, she was always the strongest one, maybe not physically but she was mentally. She helped everyone with their problems and didn't expect anything in return. She was the shoulder they always use to lean on, everyone has relied on Quistis for more then once.

Now she needed him to be there for Seifer, Irvine knows he has to keep an eye on Seifer before he will go and do something stupid he will regret later. He still has a daughter to think about, that made Irvine wonder, "What will you tell Ayla?"

"I don't know," Seifer slams his fist to the wall, a small piece of calk falls down the floor.

Irvine places his hand on Seifer's shoulder, "You are not alone. Everyone will help you in any way we can."

Seifer sighs. Turning around he stands with his back against the wall, his hand in his pocket and his eyes staring at his shoes.

Irvine stands next to him and together they wait for some news, anything that will help them to find Quistis.

* * *

><p>Rinoa is standing on the balcony, she likes the feeling of the cold wind on her face. Trabian winds are the coldest but she doesn't even shiver. Since she lost her Sorcery powers she feels the emptiness inside of her, on some days it is worse than others but the gnawing feeling is always present. The cold helps her forget about that, and to forget that feeling for even a minute, she will do anything.<p>

"What did he say?" She asks when she hears footsteps approaching, footsteps she knows by heart.

"He doesn't know much," Squall closes his jacket and walks over the threshold. He closes the door behind him and stands next to his wife. "Nida will be okay. They are going to transport him to the Estharian Hospital."

"Thank Hyne," Rinoa whispers. In the last few years Nida had become a good friend of her. He was even trying to teach her how to fly the Ragnarok, he had the patience Selphie lacked to teach her.

"Delia Neva is murdered."

Rinoa turns her head and is shocked to hear that. She knew Delia was dead, but murdered? "How?"

"A knife was edged in her chest, that probably killed her," Squall places his hands on the railing and stares towards the Trabian Mountain range. "We don't know for sure until the coroner checked it."

"And Quistis?" That was the most important detail she wanted to know, but she dreaded the answer. She couldn't be dead, she simply couldn't.

"They found no trail of her."

Rinoa pulls her blue coat tighter around her, not because of the cold outside but because of the cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Nothing?"

Squall shakes his head.

"How is Seifer?"

"You know him better then I do, how do you think he is?" He didn't mean to sound so harsh, but this whole situation was just too frustrating. At moments like this he whished he wasn't the commander of Garden.

Rinoa knows Squall didn't mean it in the way he said it, he too is concerned about Quistis. Even about Seifer. In the last ten year they had slowly become friends, they aren't the kind of friends who will hang out together and enjoy a glass of beer but in the training aspect they are the best of friends. When neither is too busy they will train in the training centre together. Most of the time they can be found sparring, with a large group of students gathered around them. And when Zell and Irvine are around you can be sure a lot of betting is taken place, something Xu isn't all too happy about. Thinking about her Rinoa asks, "Have you told Xu?"

"I have," Squall places his hands in his pocket, the railing too cold for him to lean onto. "She has almost finished her business, she will be ready when we arrive." Xu had been in Trabia Garden for the last two months, and her business wasn't finished yet, she told Squall she couldn't make it to Esthar for their anniversary, but this changed everything. Now she wasn't only acting as the commander, but also as a friend. She told him the headmaster of Trabia would understand.

"I am glad." Rinoa _is_ glad to hear that. The slightly older woman isn't really a friend of her, both their stubborn personalities don't mix well, but Xu is a close friend to Quistis and for both their friendship with her they at least act civil around each other. Their 'friendship' did improve after the babysitting incident. Together the two women were _forced_ to baby-sit Ayla, she was only three months old at the time. It shouldn't really be a problem for them, but when there was an emergency breach, although it was false, all the doors went into lock down and they were stuck with a very hungry and loud crying baby. They had to work together and during those hours they gained a lot more respect for each other.

"I am worried."

Rinoa waits for Squall to continue, she wants to hear what he thinks, of course she can guess it already, she is worried about the same things, but even after being together for almost ten years and married for seven, Squall is sometimes still having trouble expressing himself, especially when one of their family is in trouble.

"First Cid called that _they_ are back-"

Kaim, Sarah, Ming and even Seth have returned. She was in Squall's office when he got that call, shock was clearly written on his face. At first Rinoa was happy for the chance to see them again but it didn't take long for something clicked in her mind, they couldn't be back without a reason, but what could it be?

"-then dad called about the accident with the Thor."

The phone calls where just minutes apart and Rinoa knew it wasn't a coincident that it all happens on the same day, even within the hour. Squall had to call Cid and Edea to tell them their daughter was missing. It was hard for Squall, he was struggling for words, and they weren't the only he had to tell. Selphie and Zell had just returned from Balamb. When Zell is stationed in Balamb he will go and see his Ma at least once a week, when he goes one of them usually will go with him, Selphie was free that day so she went with him. She can still clearly see how their happy faces turn to sadness and to anger.

Leaning back on the railing Squall confesses, "I don't know what to do."

Rinoa walks behind Squall and places her arms around his middle, "Listen to your heart," her left hand moves over his heart and she can feel his steady heartbeat. She rests her right cheek on his back, "Always follow your heart," she whispers.

Squall places his hands atop of Rinoa's. Together they remain standing on the balcony. Trabia Garden is already visible in the distance.

Two hours later they had reached Trabia, in the last ten years its population had grown, a whole town was build around the Garden. Trabia Garden is more than just a military facility these days, there is an orphanage with a school for the really young ones and the older children can either enroll in SeeD or learn for something else.

The eternal snow is crunching under their boots, thankfully this is one of those few days the snow isn't falling, and even the sun is trying its hardest to shine through the clouds.

At the entrance of the town Xu is already waiting for them, with her are two Trabian SeeD and the Headmaster, David Winters.

Squall and Rinoa approach them, Rinoa stands back slightly and Squall walks forward to shake David Winters' hand.

"I am sorry about the SeeD you lost, and with Quistis missing-" David Winter shakes his head sadly, he knew Quistis personally. A few years ago they had worked closely together to improve Trabia's teaching level. "If there is anything I can do to help you, let me know."

"I appreciate that," Squall puts his hands back in his pocket and gives Xu a tiny nod. "I will keep you posted."

"Thank you." The headmaster moved back towards the Garden but not before saying, "Good luck."

The two SeeD follow behind him and in no time they are out of sight.

_We __are __going __to __need __that,_ Rinoa cannot help but think.

Xu grabs her backpack and walks towards Balamb Garden. "Any news?" She asks when she walks next to Squall and Rinoa.

Squall shakes his head. "Not yet, Irvine is supposed to call back in another hour." Walking in the warm halls of his home Squall shrugs his coat off. "Zell and Selphie will be at the Orphanage soon, they will report back when they are on route to Esthar."

"Okay," Xu nods her head. "I am going to drop my stuff and I will meet you in your office."

Xu didn't wait for an answer but rushes towards her room.

It was quit in the hallways, it was dinnertime and most SeeDs and students can be found in the cafeteria. Although neither of them feel like eating, especially in the cafeteria, they still need to eat something. "I will grab something to eat," Rinoa announces and gives Squall a quick kiss on his lips. "I'll be back soon." A forced smile is on her face while she makes her way towards the cafeteria.

* * *

><p>Rocks and sand as far as the eye can see, that is what Zell has been staring at for the last half hour. He couldn't understand how such a perfect day could go so wrong. Just this morning he had been fishing with Selphie and they had caught a bunch of them. They had taken the fish with them to his Ma and she had made the most delicious fish dishes since he can remember. They were just starting on their desert, a nice slice of apple pie, when his phone started ringing. Hearing Squall's voice he immediately knew something was wrong,Squall had hung up immediately, Selphie had looked at Zell worriedly, and she could tell something was wrong.<p>

They thanked his mother for the lunch and made their way back towards Garden as fast as they could. When they arrived at Garden the Ragnarok was ready for takeoff, Rinoa stood at the docking platform and told them Quistis was missing. After the shock had faded away she had told them they were to dispatch Edea, Cid and their guest. When Selphie had asked her about the guest Rinoa had told them who were back. They didn't need to know more, Selphie ran into the Ragnarok, shooing all the other SeeDs out of her way. The pre-flight check had already being taken care off and as soon as Zell said goodbye to Rinoa and was inside Selphie flew away, Zell barely was able to buckle himself in before they were lifted in the air.

The entire flight they just sat there in silence, both of them are lost in their thoughts, mostly thinking about their friend.

Zell steals a glance to Selphie and he sees she is gripping the steel wheal so tightly her knuckles have turned white. "Relax," he said while touching her arm lightly.

"I can't," Selphie said but she does loosen the grip on the wheal a bit. "I keep thinking about Quistis and it makes me so mad." With one hand she slams the steering wheel and the Ragnarok makes a sharp turn to the right.

"Oops."

Selphie corrects the Ragnarok and they are flying smoothly again. Realizing she almost made a fatal mistake she puts the Ragnarok on auto-pilot and she leans back in her chair.

Releasing the breath he had been holding, he never could get use to Selphie's piloting skills, he too leans back in his chair. "I feel the same." He looks to his right and he can see Selphie's bright green eyes staring at him.

"I feel so helpless. We don't now anything, she could be-" Selphie gulps "-dead."

Zell knows that it is possible, but he doesn't believe that, _Quistis __is __stronger __than __that._ He holds out his right hand and Selphie grabs it with her left. The only support the two friends have right now.

"And what about Ayla?" Selphie's grip tightens on Zell's hand, but he doesn't care. "And Seifer."

"We will help them in any way we can," Zell reassures her. "But I _know_ we will find Quistis, you'll see."

"I hope you are right Zell" Selphie gives Zell's hand a final squeeze before she puts her hands back on the steering wheel, adjusting their course. "I really do."

_Me __too,_Zell looks back outside to see the same landscape again, rocks and sand. He is glad to see Cid and Edea, but not under those circumstances. It was less than a week before their big party, everyone would be there, he hadn't seen Ellone in such a long time, but now he wished it would be another few days before he would see her again. Thinking about her makes him remember that her mother is back, _that's right, her __mother __is __back. _"But how were the able to return?"

"Who?"

Zell didn't realize he spoke the last part out loud. "The Immortals," he explained, "they told us they couldn't return, and now they are, on the same day Quistis disappeared."

"I know, I thought about that too," Selphie makes a few final adjustments and she puts the Ragnarok back on auto-pilot pilot. "I don't believe in coincidence, their must be a reason why they are back."

Zell nods his head and Selphie continues.

"I can't help it, but I have this feeling that all of this is connected." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

_It must be connected, but we won't know until we have all the answers. And the first ones we have to ask is about them, although I doubt they know why they are back, Rinoa told us they were as confused as we are._

The shrill beeping from the consul announces that they have reached their destination. Selphie takes control of the Ragnarok again and she parks the ship smoothly to the ground, not too far away from the Orphanage.

Cid stands at the entrance, he is clearly waiting for them. He gives both of them a fatherly hug and urges them not to tell anything to Ayla. They weren't planning on telling her anything, Cid had explained to her that they would go to Esthar a few days early because of their guests. Ayla had been all too happy to see her parents again.

"Hey squirm," Selphie greets Ayla who runs into her arms. Selphie lifts her to her chest and places a kiss on her forehead. Edea walks behind her and gives Selphie a kiss of her own, even Zell received a kiss on his cheek. Ayla was chatting happily away with Selphie.

The four Immortals follow behind them. They exchange quiet hellos and they make their way inside the Ragnarok. Cid and Edea show them the guestrooms.

Zell takes his place in the co-pilots seat again and Selphie lifts Ayla in his lap. Zell buckles them both in, _before_ Selphie flies away. Zell is trying to entertain the little girl on his lap, but his mind wonders back to the girl's mother. Selphie is a great help, when Ayla is near her Selphie always is back to her _sunny_ self again, no matter how sad, depressed or anger she is, she always puts a real smile on her face when she sees Ayla. But he has no clue about how she does it now.

Ayla is squealing and laughing happily at all the clouds they pass, Selphie soft laughter sounds almost real.

Almost.

* * *

><p>The phone had been ringing a few times already before Laguna realized it was his phone that was ringing. Moving some papers from he desk he grabs the phone, his hands are shaking so wildly he drops it. When he finally put the phone to his ears he said, "Hello?"<p>

"_Laguna-__"_

Laguna had been waiting for this phone call, he sits upright and listens closely "Yes."

"_I have arranged a transport for SeeD Nida Jackson, he is stable and ready to be transported to our hospital. He hasn't regained consciousness yet-"_

Laguna was glad to hear Nida would be okay, he felt terrible about Quistis and the other SeeD. He was the one who requested them, and so he was partly to blame, at least that was what he thought.

"_SeeD Delia Neva has indeed been murdered, we think it is the work of a professional, the knife was stabbed in exactly the right place to kill her instantly. She was dead before the Thor crashed-"_

How that was possible he doesn't know, there were only three people in the Thor. Nida couldn't have killed her, he was in the cockpit while the plane crashed. That leaves Quistis, but Quistis wouldn't kill her, he is sure of that. Was there someone else on the plane?

"_We found nothing that can tell us what happened with Quistis, Dr. Odine will be here shortly, we hope we will know more by then."_

So he didn't know more then he did an hour ago, _damn_. "Thanks Kiros."

"_Irvine will travel with Nida, he will call you when he wakes up. Seifer and I will wait for Odine-"_

He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to have both Seifer and Dr. Odine in the same room, especially know that Seifer is angry like hell.

"_How is Ellone?"_

Ellone was still troubled with the dream she had, but she wouldn't tell anything to him. At first he didn't believe it, he can still recall what he had said to her last night. _"__But __you __don__'__t __dream! __You __haven__'__t __dreamed __in __ten __years __and __now __you __have __a __nightmare?__" _Ellone hadn't dreamed in ten years, not once since she had given up her powers. But she was so sure of herself when she told him Quistis was in trouble and he had reassured her that nothing was wrong. He felt so bad when he found out how _wrong _had he been. Sitting on the sofa in his office Ellone has a book in her hands, but Laguna doubts that she reads anything. "Fine."

Kiros can hear clearly through that lie but he doesn't mention it.

"_I will call you in another hour. Kiros out."_

Laguna hopes with all his heart they will know more by then, Quistis is like a daughter to him. He thinks of all of them as his children, he thinks it is quite ironic that this group of orphans have more parents then a non-orphan does.

Laguna puts down his phone when he hears a _thud_. Laguna looks to the source of it and sees that Ellone has dropped her book. He stands up abruptly, his chair falls backwards on the soft carpet, and he runs to Ellone. When he reaches her he sees that she is breathing evenly, asleep. He hopes that this time it is a dreamless sleep and he grabs a blanket and covers her with it. He takes a seat on the end of the sofa and releases the breath he didn't know he was holding.

The doors to his office swing open and Ward walks inside, when he sees that Ellone is asleep he walks silently towards Laguna.

'_It has all been taken care off.'_

Laguna had asks Ward to prepare the rooms for the guest that will arrive, even though Balamb Garden will be near Esthar he knows all of them want to be close to each other, and the only place they can be is in his presidential palace. "Thanks Ward."

Ward walks to the large windows, Laguna never understood why but Ward loves to just look outside this window and enjoy the view, after staring out of that window for years Ward knows every little detail about this city.

Laguna closes his eyes, it had been a rough day. After having been roughly woken up in the middle of the night by Ellone's screaming he hadn't slept anymore. In no time Laguna snoring was heard next to Ellone's soft snores.

Wards big hand clasped on his shoulder woke Laguna up.

'_They__'__re__here.__'_ Ward told him non-verbally.

Laguna rubs the sleep out of his eyes and glances towards Ellone, doubting if he should wake her or not. He decides that he will wake her, she will be quit mad if Laguna doesn't, and it is her mother who is among the guest. He shakes her shoulders softly. "Ellone, wake up."

Yawning Ellone opens her eyes. "Hmmm, what?" she asks with a rough voice.

"Your mother is here."

Ellone's eyes light up immediately. "She is?"

Laguna nods his head, he is glad to see Ellone happy.

"Let's go," Ellone almost shouted while she grabs Laguna's hand and drags him along._Some __things __never __changes._

The walk towards the airport Laguna is short and from some distance they can already see the Ragnarok. The fiery red dragon still makes his heart beat a bit faster.

The doors of the airport open and his friends and family are walking in silence towards them. Ayla is running far ahead of them. Laguna drops down on his knees and spread his arms, Ayla runs into his arms and he lifts her high in the sky.

"Grandpa, stop." Ayla giggled when Laguna whirls her around.

Laguna puts Ayla back on the ground and the little girl demands for Ward to lift her up, which he can't refuse even if he wants to.

Laguna welcomes everyone and Ward and Selphie lead them towards the presidential suite. Kaim stands next to Laguna with his arms crossed.

"Dad. How are you?" It is strange to see his father who looks younger then he is, although it looks he has aged some, he is sure to ask him about that later.

"I could ask you the same."

His father has never been the real talkative type, _the__apple__never__falls__far__from__the__tree,_ and he certainly wasn't one for small talk.

"You want to know why we are back," Kaim continued.

"That would be a start," Laguna signals his father to follow him. While everybody else rides with the hovercrafts back to the suites he takes the long way with his father, on foot.

"We had nothing to do with it, we don't know why or how we are brought back," Kaim put a hand on his sword, the feeling of cold steel is always a comfort for him. "The disappearing of the Blue Mage, our return to this world, somehow it is all connected."

_That's __what __I __thought,_ but he didn't say that out loud, he didn't need to.

Laguna shows his father the guest rooms, everyone was taking a moment for themselves. They would wait for the others before they would discuss what they will do next, what they _can_ do.

Laguna walks to his office, he still has some work to do, but he knows he won't be able to concentrate on any of it.

_Ring, ring._

Absentminded Laguna picks up the phone, "Kiros?"

"_No, it is Irvine-"_

A lot of sounds are coming from Irvine's side of the line.

"_Nida has regained conscious-"_

Laguna is playing with a pen in his hand, ticking it on the table nervously.

"_-he saw who killed Delia Neva."_

* * *

><p><em>AN: Please leave behind a review, just a few words will already make me happy. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Seifer raises his arm to protect his eyes from the sand coming from the tires of the cars. A medic transport and two SUV trucks speed away. He was glad to see that Laguna took all of this so seriously, they still hadn't found anything. Dr. Odine is working on the black box but Seifer doubts that will explain anything about what happened in the Thor. Nida is the only one who can tell them what happened inside that ship, he hopes that Nida will wake up soon, it may be a selfish thought but he couldn't care right now.<p>

The cars are only small dots on the horizon but still Seifer doesn't go inside, he just stares after the cars, and when they are out of his sight he continues staring. His throat is dry and his stomach empty but still he remains standing outside, waiting for a sign. A sign that will tell him were his wife is.

He knew he shouldn't let Quistis go on this mission, his gut feeling told him something would happen, but he hadn't told Quistis. She was so excited to go back into space again, she had been in space once and she always wanted another chance to see the beauty of the galaxy. Seifer suspected it had something to do with her Blue Mages powers; Quistis always has been attracted by the moon. Seifer always thought it was something Quistis used to do, but one night, a few months ago, he returned home from a mission early. He thought his girls would be asleep already since it was really late but both his girls weren't sleeping. Quistis was standing barefoot in the grass with Ayla on her hip, both of them staring at the full moon. Seifer tried to get their attention but it was only after he shook Quistis by the shoulder she acknowledge his presence then, the purple swirl in their eye had grown insignificant, only to return to normal not much later.

He knew it would be a full moon tonight, but would Quistis be able to watch it? Seifer knows Quistis is alive, no matter what that Dr. Odine may say, if she was gone he would know it, off that he is certain.

"Where are you?" He whispers to the sky.

A clasp on his shoulder makes Seifer turn around, the sun is already setting and Kiros is looking at him worriedly.

"You should go back," the older man said.

Shaking his head he walks back inside the base, "not before I knew where Quis is."

"I doubt we will find the answers here. Dr. Odine and Dr. Piet have found nothing on the black box."

"They found nothing? You mean-"

"It is empty." They reached the base and the doors slide open. "Someone has tempered with it."

The black box wasn't able to tell them what happened, the only witness they have is unconscious and still they have no clue about the whereabouts of his wife.

He was feeling so hopeless right now.

He knows he should go back to Esthar, there is nothing he can do here, but he can't face his friends, his family. He can't even face his own daughter, wondering about what she would think of him, _a__failure__no__doubt._

Kicking the wall angrily he is promising himself he is going to listen to his gut feeling next time.

_If there will be a next time for Quistis._

* * *

><p>He hates to leave Seifer alone, but he also wants to stay with Nida and not only for the information he may have, but also because he is a friend. He was the one who volunteered immediately to fly the Ragnarok towards a Time Consumed world, without even knowing if he would make it out alive. He is the best pilot they have, and Irvine knows that someone must have been tempered with the Thor; Nida has a flawless state of clean landings, <em>not<em>_anymore.__Unfortunately_.

A machine starts beeping and Irvine looks panicked to the pilot, the medic reassures him that nothing is wrong; one of the electrodes has fallen off him.

The rest of the ride went by in a daze, in the hospital Irvine was told to wait in the waiting room while the medics took Nida to the ICU.

Hospitals always made him nervous, he is shifting in his seat every few minutes, the waiting is horrible, and sitting there alone makes Irvine think about everything that has happened, things he doesn't want to think about. He wishes that one of his friends is here with him, just so he could talk with a familiar face. Irvine didn't know how long he had been waiting when the doctor told him he could see Nida.

In the hospital room Nida does look a lot better, the color has returned to his face again so he wasn't as white as a ghost anymore. An IV in his left forearm, his right arm is covered in bandage from his wrist till his shoulder. The doctor told Irvine that Nida had been lucky; he could have gotten worse injuries. Nida's right arm had been cut by glass, but no major arteries or muscles were cut, his left ankle is broken but all his internal bleedings have been taken care off.

Irvine sits down on the only seat in the room, glancing at the monitor that measures Nida's heart rate.

Irvine had been sitting for some time, his butt hurt from the hard chair, when Nida's heartbeat spiked a bit. Irvine's hand traveled to the emergency button, he is ready to press it when Nida's eyes open slowly.

His hand dropped the button and he waits patiently until Nida locks eyes with him, asking him with his eyes, _what__happened?_

He wished he could tell, but truth is he doesn't know. Instead of telling him his ship had crashed he hands him a glass of water and calls the Doctor.

The doctor examined him and told Irvine he would be fine, after Nida had finished eating some food Irvine is back into the room. He hates to question him right away, but he needs to hear what Nida can remember. _Nida__will__understand_, he told himself. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Nida nods his head carefully and he starts talking.

_They had found nothing out of the ordinary in space. They didn't found any trace of the transmissions the Estharians had picked up. They even had checked the moon but they found nothing. Quistis had made contact with both Laguna and Squall, she had offered to stay for a bit longer, maybe then they could find out where the transmissions were coming from, but both men declined, the were to install the new satellite and then return home. Delia had been thrilled when she finally could start working on the satellite, she had been closely working with the Estharians to finish this prototype. If things worked out, this would be the first of many they would send into space. Delia didn't tell him much about what they were working on but it had something to do with improving communication on earth._

_When the satellite had been placed Delia stayed in the engine room, it was the only room with plenty of power for her computers to be plugged in. Nida was piloting the ship home, a few hours in their ride Quistis was keeping him company, engaging him in some small talk. _

"_What are you going to do when we get back?" _

"_I don't know yet. After the party I think I will stay a few days in Esthar." He chuckles slightly, "in all these years I never have been in Esthar outside of work."_

"_Really?" Quistis has a smile on her face "So you never have been to the good restaurants either?"_

"_Nope. Every time I was in Esthar I was either working inside the Presidential Palace, Odine's labs or the Airport, I never had time to relax in the city."_

"_Well then, I know this really good place. Seifer used to take me there. The have the best steaks in the world."_

"_I will take your suggestion and go there-"_

"_Not alone," Quistis interrupted him, "you need a date."_

"_You're offering?"_

"_No." Quistis holds her hand up, the silver wedding ring gleaming under the light of the stars. "I am already taken."_

"_It was worth a shot," Nida said with a straight face, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly._

_His face looked so funny Quistis couldn't help but laugh and smack him on the arm._

"_I am serious, maybe you should ask Xu." Quistis had the feeling Nida had a crush on Xu for some time and she knows Xu could use a man like Nida._

_Before Nida had the time to say anything Delia Neva's voice sounded through the intercom. _

"Jackson?"

"_Yes Neva." Nida answered through the intercom._

"I found something interesting regarding the transmissions."

_Quistis straightens herself and asked their technician, "What did you find?"_

"I found-"

_A crashing sound comes through the intercom, followed with a curse from Delia. _

"_Neva?" Nida tried again "Delia? Come in."_

"_I'll go check on her," Quistis offered. "She probably dropped something. You know how clumsy she can be."_

_Nida waited for Quistis to tell him what happened in the engine room. Earth was approaching rapidly, he had to change his attitude before he could enter earth's orbit. He contacted the Lunar Base and he had permission to fly through Esthar's sky. _

_But still he didn't receive a word from Quistis or Delia. He was getting quite worried; Quistis would call him immediately when she found out what happened. Even Delia should call back despite if she dropped something or not. Nida was contempt to leave the ship on auto-pilot and go check on the girls himself._

_A few minutes later his feeling urged him to check on the girls. After making a final check that the auto-pilot is on correctly he climbs off his seat and walks to the lift. He stops halfway in the cockpit when he hears the lift rising._

"_What took you so l-" Nida began, but instead of one of the girls a man with light brown hair and grey eyes, dressed in a blue robe is walking in the cockpit. Nida is confused; this man shouldn't be on the Thor, how did he get onboard? Nida wanted to asks who he is and what he is doing on the ship when he was thrown through the small space, he crashed against the seats and drops down on the floor. He could see a pair of boots approaching him, blood covers the noose of his shoes, he lifts his eyes slightly and he sees the man raises his staff and then all Nida can see is black._

"Can't you remember more?"

"That man-" Nida started coughing and Irvine handed him a glass of water. "Thanks." Nida takes a deep breath before continuing, "I have seen a picture of him once, Dr. Odine had a photo of him, and he was standing next to Adel."

_Adel? __Then __the __man __must __be __like __fifty, __how __was __he __able __to __take __down __three __SeeDs?_" Anything else?" Irvine hopes Nida can remember more, at least they knew who was responsible, _not __yet __Irvine, _he reprimanded himself.

"No, it all is still kinda fuzzy. How are Quistis and Delia?"

"Delia is dead," Irvine said somberly. "Quistis is missing."

Nida started coughing loudly again and Irvine filled the glass with water which Nida emptied in one swig. Nida's eyes begin to drop and Irvine realizes that Nida had been trough a lot. "Rest," he commands. Nida's breathing is evening and Irvine is glad that he is able to get some sleep.

Irvine walks out of the hospital room, walking to the vending machine he buys himself a coke and a snack. He walks into the small garden inside the hospital and after he has finished his 'meal' he pulls his phone out of his pocket, pushes some numbers and waits.

"_Kiros?__" _Laguna's worried voice travels through the phone.

"No, it is Irvine-" Irvine starts, a siren sounds through the hospital, announcing the incoming of another patient. "Nida has regained conscious. He saw who killed Delia Neva."

* * *

><p>Tired, she was so tired, but she didn't want to sleep. It had been ten years since she saw her mother and she has so much to tell her. But trying not to fall asleep didn't work, especially after the night she had last night, and the dreams that disturbed her sleep.<p>

"Go to sleep," her mother touches her shoulder lightly and points whit her head towards Ellone's bed.

"I don't want to sleep," Ellone said through a yawn. Her mother looks at her sternly and Ellone knows she has no other choice but to close her eyes and sleep, or tell her mother about her dream but for that she wasn't ready. She doesn't want to relive her dream again.

Reaching the bed Ellone stomps her shoes off and crawls on the queen-size bed. She was asleep immediately, but not for a long time, a dream tormented her in her sleep, a dream she didn't want to dream again.

_Four immortals come across a mortal. A child. A girl with blond hair and brilliant blue eyes with a purple swirl. _

_A Blue Mage._

_Suddenly the child screams. A sword has been plunged through her back and it comes out of her stomach. The child looks at the sword and tears fall from her beautiful eyes. A last plead for her mother. _

"Ellone!"

Ellone's eye shut open and she is breathing harshly. Her mother looks at her worriedly and she draws her daughter in a hug. When Ellone's breathing has calmed down and the tears stopped streaming down her face she lays down back on the bed. Her mother doesn't say anything, for which Ellone is glad, this silence is what Ellone needs right now.

After a few minutes of lying down, Ellone sits down next to her mother who placed her arms around her. "Mother, I had a dream."

"I already thought so. Was this the first time you dreamed?"

"No. I had this dream before."

"When?"

"Last night." And with pain in her voice Ellone tells her mother about her dream, it was a short summary but with every word Sarah's face looks more troubled.

"You know who this dream is about," Sarah asked her daughter, with tear in her eyes Ellone nods her head. "I have had this dream too. It was exactly the same dream."

Ellone's head shoots up, two former dreamers who share the same dream, there must be more too it then Ellone initially thought. "You know who this is about?"

"I do."

"Do you know why we had this dream?"

"I don't know honey." Her mother said sadly.

"Have you told anyone?"

"Kaim, Seth and Ming know. Nobody else."

"I didn't tell anyone. I couldn't, but tomorrow I will, I have to." Ellone had made up her mind. Tomorrow when all of them are together she will tell them about this dream, maybe her dream hold some clues about Quistis whereabouts.

"You're right. Tomorrow we will tell them, together." Sarah stands up and asks Ellone, "will you be alright for awhile, I need to do something."

Ellone really didn't want to be alone but she knows that if her mother has to do something that will leave her alone in this state, it must be important. She should be alright without her mother, she is a grown woman, but sometimes it feels so good to rely on someone else. "I'll be fine, just go."

Sarah gives her daughter one tight hug. "If you need me, just call me okay."

Ellone didn't really know how to call her but she didn't ask. Sarah let go of her daughter and walks out of her room, closing the door silently behind her.

The adrenaline rush from the dream had finally worn out and Ellone is feeling tired again, but this time she really doesn't want to go to sleep, especially alone. She decides that she will grab a cup of coffee. She puts some socks on and a nice thick sweater and she makes her way to the kitchen. The lights are already on, meaning someone is already there. Ellone walks into the kitchen and she sees that Ward making some coffee.

"That's just what I need," Ellone said while grabbing a cup.

Ward has a smile on his face but when he takes a closer look at Ellone his smile fades immediately. _'__Are __you __alright?__' _he asks her.

She wondered how she must look like for Ward to react that way. "I am fine Ward. Really." She is glad for his presence in this room, even though she is closest to Laguna, Ward is the person she needs right know. He wouldn't make her talk, but if she wants to talk, he is the best listener she can have.

Ward pours her a cup and together they enjoy their hot steaming coffee. When Ellone was ready to talk about what bothered her Ward listened to her closely, his eyes full of empathy and love. Ellone talked and talked and Ward listened patiently.

* * *

><p>In another room in the presidential palace two old friends were dealing with the pain of the disappearing of their daughter, although neither of them is Quistis' mother they still feel like they are.<p>

Ming is family, a great- something- grandmother of Quistis, they are connected through blood. Ming was there when Quistis was born. She was with her for the first two years of her life, although Quistis doesn't remember anything of it. When Quistis' mother, Quinn, died, Ming was the one who saved Quistis before Adel could get her hands on her. She brought her to Edea who ran an orphanage on the other side of the world, Ming had no choice but to leave her, Adel was still after her and she needed to do something to stop her.

In those years Edea became Quistis' mother, Matron they used to call her. In the years that followed Ming used to visit from time to time, the two women became instant friends. Ming never told her exactly who she is and Edea never asked, both women had their own secrets.

They didn't need to speak, they knew what the other was thinking, and just sitting together was enough comfort for both of them.

And now those two old friends are seated on the balcony of Edea en Cid's room. It was a hot night and both women needed to feel fresh air in their lungs. The sky was turning dark and the first stars began to flicker in the sky.

The balcony doors are open, Seth's voice floats towards them from inside, Seth is telling Ayla some wild story about her pirate life. Words like _parley _and _captain_ were used often. Ming knows Seth is a great story teller, Seth's son used to tell her that much, when her own daughter was just an infant she had whished for Seth to come back, if only to tell her child the same story's she used to tell Sed.

But she did have Jansen, _how __many __years __has __it __been __love?_ After Jansen died of old age she had never loved a man like him again, she often wondered when she would see him again, it had been so many years, so longed to see him again.

Edea saw the pain etched in Ming's face and asked her, "What's wrong?"

"Everything," Ming exhales a big breath. "Nothing."

Edea looks at her with her soft hazel eyes and Ming elaborates.

"I was thinking about Jansen-"

Ming had never before talked about him, Edea had asked her once if she was married and she told her Jansen's name but Ming refused to say more on the subject and Edea had dropped it.

"-it has been so long since I last saw him. I _need_ to see him, _need_ to feel his strong arms around me," sadness clouds her face, "but I know I can't."

"Not yet," Edea moves to her friends and engulfs her in a loving embrace. "You will see him again, until you do I will be here for you."

"And so will we. We all have to help each other." A soft voice said from behind both women. Ming looks up to see Seth standing there with a stuffed animal in her arms. "You've found yourself a good friend here."

"I certainly have."

Seth nods her head and walks back into the room, to the child who is expectantly awaiting Seth's return with her favorite toy.

Edea walks back to her chair and looks to the sparkling stars. "Remember how we used to take the kids for stargazing?"

"I certainly do," a soft giggle escapes Ming's lips, "and what about the time they took the fireworks-"

"-and they used Cid's lighter to fire them."

"It was to best firework show I had ever seen," Ming finished.

"You know," Edea chuckled softly, "they still think we don't know what they were doing."

"Cid certainly does remember."

Cid had been hiding in the bushes, with a fire extender next to him, he was ready to jump in the fray if things went wrong. Thankfully Cid didn't need to come to the rescue, but it did result in him hiding in the bushes for the entire night, while Mind and Edea were watching the fireworks display from the porch.

"Every year he reminds me of it and each year he threatens to tell the children."

"But he hasn't?" Ming is a bit surprised to hear that, he had expected him to have told the children years ago.

"I have my ways of making him stop thinking about that," a mischief glint appears in Edea's eyes.

"I am sure you do," Ming said and both women couldn't giggle softly.

Watching from some distance Seth is glad both women finally have found something to laugh about, to forget about all the bad things, even if it is only for a few minutes. For Seth everything was a bit different, she didn't knew this people, she had only seen them briefly ten years ago. She didn't have the same connection they had. She did feel a bit out of place, but she knows that she will do anything to help these people. Besides how they all must have felt, they had all welcomed her with open arms.

She remembered something, she scolds herself why she didn't think about it before. When she had the dream she had the feeling that she was missing something, something important, and something she didn't notice but which she should have. It was only when she stood in Ellone's room and she saw the film poster of the movie in which Laguna starred, with Laguna standing in his shiny armor, in one hand he holds a gunblade pointed downwards and his arm is wrapped around a beautiful woman, whom he holds close to his chest. When she looked at the gunblade something clicked in her mind. The sword that the man uses looked so familiar but she doesn't know for sure, that is why she needs to find Kaim. If she is right, then that sword had belonged to him.

_But where is he?_

Sarah had already checked in their room, but it didn't look like he had set a foot inside. She spotted the housekeeper and asked her if she had seen Kaim.

"I am afraid I haven't," the kind old woman said. "Maybe he is the training room, I did hear a lot of noise coming from there."

The housekeeper told Sarah how to get there, Sarah thanked the old woman and made her way towards the training room.

Indeed the closer she got the sound of swords _clashing_ reached her ears. She opens the door to see Kaim sparring against an Estharian soldier, despite his age he was keeping up with Kaim well.

Kaim was fighting with a large broadsword which he held in two hands while the soldier was fighting with a smaller one-handed sword and a shield in his left hand. A red dragon was painted on the soldier's shield, a dragon Sarah recognizes as Ragnarok.

Although both man are fighting with real weapons Sarah was glad none of them was hurt, she didn't know how long they were already fighting but by the sight of the sweat running down both their faces it must have been some time.

A slash, a block, a dive, another slash, it was like they were dancing. Every movement was in sync, every movement was performed with such grace Sarah hadn't seen in a long time. She remembered the time when Seth and Kaim were sparring, they could go on for hours before they needed to stop, she loved to watch them, knowing they couldn't hurt or kill each other.

One slip and the soldier is pinned down the ground, Kaim's sword pointed at his throat.

"Good fight," Kaim pulls the man from the floor and gives him a pat on the soldier.

"You too," the soldier replied while rolling his soldier. "My grandpa was right about you."

That surprised Sarah, Kaim new this young mans grandfather? Sarah takes a closer look at the man and she noticed his brown eyes, eyes she had looked into before but not into his. A laugh escaped his mouth and the smiles she spots is exactly the same as an old friend of Kaim.

"Your grandfather is Miles Ryan?"

The young man looks at Sarah, he hadn't noticed her before, a small blush colors his cheeks when he answers, "yes, I am Cody Ryan. Pleased to meet you."

"How is your grandfather?"

"He died two years ago."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"Me too." Cody's shrugged his shoulders and puts a small smile on his face. "He died of old age, so that really isn't the worst way to go."

_I __guess __so,_Sarah thought but she didn't say it out loud. Death was still a sore subject for all of them. Seeing your children and grandchildren die while you still continue living is not one of the best advantages of being immortal.

"He always told me you were some superman and I never believed him." Cody grabs his shield and sword and put those weapons in his locker, "but now I do." He hints at their immortality,

Sarah knew a lot of people speculated about them and now the rumors will spread again. She wondered how bad it will get this time, she doubted it will be as bad as over two hundred year after the Guardian War, _If __it __wasn__'__t __for __Kaim __I __would __be__… _she didn't finish that thought. She didn't want to remember what happened then.

"Have a good night," Cody said while leaving the training room, leaving Kaim and Sarah alone.

"Good night," Sarah said to his retreating back, Cody waved back to her, signaling that he heard her.

"Why are you here?"

Sarah looks up to her husband, "I remembered something important."

Kaim's eyebrows shut up, "What did you remember?"

"In my dream I saw two men fighting. One of them is fighting with a gunblade and the other with a broadsword. That broadsword is not just any sword, it is _your_ sword."

Kaim looked to his sword, the one he is holding in his hand, which is the only sword he owns nowadays. "This one?"

"No. The one you lost."

Sarah can see that Kaim is lost in his thoughts, thinking about the sword Sarah mentioned.

"Durandal?" Kaim whispered.

"Yes. You lost that one while you were fighting against Adel's troop."

Kaim can still remember what happened that day.

_Thousands of Adel's man against just a handful of rebels. They had no chance of defeating that large a force, their main goal was to take out as many as they could. Even though he is immortal he couldn't last till the end. His sword was taken away from him and all he could do was run. He knew Adel had always been fascinated by the rumors of Immortals, and he also knew about the experiments Adel liked to perform, where most people died on the table. His best chance was to run and hide, he returned to the rebel base and they needed to plan something else. Adel was on the winning hand and Kaim was in need of a new weapon._

"I almost forgot about that blade."

"Adel was in possession of that sword, so we must look for someone who had a close connection to her."

"Let's find Laguna, maybe he knows who we are looking for."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Her hand was idly stirring the spoon in her coffee cup; the dark liquid had been untouched for the last hour, the coffee already turned cold inside her cup. She was sitting alone in the common living room. It was dark inside, Selphie hadn't bordered to turn the lights on, and the dark suited her emotions right now.

She felt sad, lonely, angry, frustrated, it was all too much for the small woman to contain. All these emotions were giving her one hell of a headache. She was grateful when Zell told her he would go see how Ayla was doing, he had been shadowboxing in the middle of the room nonstop and the noises he produced were only attributing to her headache.

She misses Irvine.

The last thing she heard from him was that he was going to the hospital with Nida, she wanted to see him but Squall forbid her, he told her over the phone that Irvine would be able to handle it; she was needed where she is. Selphie could guess why, she was the best pilot for the Ragnarok besides Nida, and it isn't like he is going to fly again anytime soon, and she suspected it had something to do with Ayla. Somehow Ayla had always been closest to her and Zell, she guessed it had something to do with their _bubbling_ attitude, Irvine did tell her the two of them acted like children sometimes. But no matter what Irvine was always there for her, he was the one she could rely on. He truly is her tower of strength.

She missed Quistis.

How could she not miss her? She is one of her best friends. It is so strange, she had been on that mission for the last week and she had left for Esthar that week before, so the last two weeks she didn't have any contact with her. That wasn't really strange in the world that they live in and she hadn't missed Quistis in that time. But the minute she heard Quistis was missing she had felt this strange emptiness inside of her.

She could use a friend right about _now_; she needed some female company, preferably Rinoa. Thinking about her she wonders where she is. Rinoa and Squall had gotten here with the Garden some time ago, but she hadn't seen either of them or heard from them since they left Balamb Garden_._

The doors open and the soft light from the hallway highlight a dark haired woman.

_Thinking off the devil._

Rinoa walked into the room saying, "I thought I would find you here." She takes a seat left of Selphie and asks her friend, "how are Cid and Edea?"

"Fine, under the circumstances."

"And the others?"

Selphie shrugged, "The same."

Rinoa nods her head. Both woman remain silent in the dark, no words need to be said. Selphie shifts in her seat and lies down with her head in Rinoa's lap. Rinoa strokes Selphie's head, her headache was almost gone by now, and both woman are staring outside. It was such a beautiful night, but none of them could enjoy its beauty tonight.

Selphie turns around so she is lying on her back and she looks up to Rinoa. "Where is Squall?"

"He is with Laguna in Dr. Odine's lab. Nida knows who killed Delia Neva, well he did recognize him from a photo in Odine's lab and Laguna and Squall are searching there right now."

Selphie grabbed Rinoa's right hand and Selphie holds it with both her hands placing them on top of her heart. She had been on missions with Delia multiple times, they weren't exactly friends but they could get along well, and most important they worked well together on these missions. Knowing she is dead hurts almost as much as Quistis' missing.

"Irvine is still with Nida?" Selphie asked, hoping this will help her stop thinking about those who are either dead or missing.

"Yes, until Squall sends some SeeD he is to remain with him."

Selphie is glad Nida has at least one friend with him, she hoped with all her heart that he will get better, and soon. She had the feeling they would need his flying skill's before all this mess will end.

"I thought Zell was with you?" Rinoa said softly.

"He was, but he left to check on Ayla."

Thinking about his daughter she even missed Seifer. Most of the time he was just rude to her or making fun of them with his rude and sarcastic comments, but he always new how to lift the tension. She wished he was here to check on his daughter instead of Zell, even though Ayla wouldn't mind, Selphie knows that they need each other in these hard times.

Both women were almost asleep on the sofa when Zell entered, he put on the lights and Rinoa and Selphie shut their eyes at the sudden infusion of light.

"Zell!" Selphie groans and sits upright.

"Sorry," Zell said while dimming the light to a comfortable level for both Selphie and Rinoa's eyes.

"It's okay Zell," Rinoa said and she petted the seat next to her for him to sit down. "How is Ayla?"

"Asleep. Finally," he sits down on the edge of the sofa.

"Does she know-"

"Edea told her Seifer will be here in the morning" Zell swallows before continuing, "and she said that Quistis' mission takes a bit longer than they expected, that we don't know when she will be back exactly."

"How did she-"

"React?" Zell finished for Selphie. "She wasn't too worried, this isn't the first time that either one of them is away longer then they were supposed to and everyone is keeping her busy, Seth had been telling her pirates story for the last hour before she finally fell asleep."

"I guess you are right," Selphie walks over to the window and looks at the full moon. A yawn escapes her lips and she knows she should get to bed to get some rest, but she doesn't want to stay alone.

Rinoa is feeling the same way, she doesn't know when Squall will get back and she _really_doesn't want to spend the night alone. Rinoa invites both of them to stay the night in her room, which they both accepted, none of them wants to be alone tonight. Rinoa and Selphie lay in the king size bed, Selphie protested saying that this is Squall's bed and he should be the one to occupy it and that she didn't have any problem with sleeping on the floor. But Rinoa didn't want to hear any of it and she told Selphie to lie down, shut up and go to sleep. Defeated Selphie climbed in the bed next to her while Zell was making himself comfortable on the sofa.

"Good night," Zell said sleepily, he turns around and starts snoring immediately.

Tonight, both women couldn't care if he snored or not, they were too tired. Not long after Zell fell asleep, both women are also sleeping, all of them exhausted with all the emotions of the last day.

"We will find her," Selphie mumbled in her sleep.

* * *

><p>The hovercraft was moving silently through the tubes. The ride from the hospital to Dr. Odine's lab was a short one. After Laguna had received the phone call from Irvine he had asks Squall to join him and together they had made their way to the hospital. Irvine had told them everything he knew. The photograph Nida mentioned is their biggest clue to find out who killed SeeD Delia Neva.<p>

Irvine had made a sketch from the man whom Nida had seen, Squall holds the drawing clenched in the palm of his hand. The drawing was very detailed, Irvine sure knows how to draw, all they now have to do is find the photo and then they can find out who is behind all this, either by asking Dr. Odine or running the photo through the personal files.

The minute Irvine mentioned Dr. Odine he knew this was bad news, Squall had never trusted that man. He knows his father keeps a close eye on him but still, thinking about what he did to Ellone, he will never forget that.

The hover stopped and fresh air was blowing in their face, they entered his lab and one of Odine's assistants showed them his room. Squall had never been in Odine's room, it had always been off-limits for him, not that he minded one bit.

Opening the door the assistant pushes the light switch on, a single light bulb springs to life only to go off again immediately, and the scientist tries to put the light on again but to no avail. All the light bulb does is going on-off-on-off and so on; the flickering light is giving the assistant a headache. He sighs and takes two flashlights out of his pockets. "That's the only light. He likes to sit in the dark. Hyne knows why."

Squall grabs one of the flashlights and turns it on to look around the small room; it is so small that only a desk and a bookcase can fit in. It reminded Squall more of a closet then an office. He can see why Odine didn't spend too much time in here, but with all that money this research facility receives he should at least get himself a bigger office.

The scientist told Laguna that if they need anything he could ask the reception. Laguna thanked him and he too turned on his flashlight, searching for the photo.

The room is a total mess, his desk is covered completely with books and papers thrown everywhere, the only free room on his desk is a spot where he can put his laptop. Squall shuffles through the papers but he doesn't understand anything off it. He walks around the desk when his foot hit something, an empty coffee cup was lying on the ground, and a dark stain colors the blue carpet.

Laguna was looking for a photo album in the bookcase while Squall checked the drawers of the desk. He puts the flashlight in his mouth so he can search with both his hands.

In the middle drawer he finds a stash of photo's, it seems the photo's had been made by some grand opening. He shifts to them fast until he spots one photo that catch his attention, Adel is on it.

Squall puts both the photo and Irvine's drawing on the table, he takes his flashlight in his hand and he compares both pictures.

_This __is __the __one_, Squall is sure of it. That picture has been taken almost thirty years ago, the man had aged of course but Squall can clearly see the similarity. The man was looking adorable at Adel, who herself had a rare small smile on her face. Dr. Odine was standing slightly behind them, clearly working on something in the Lunatic Pandora.

Squall turns the photo around. A name was written on the back in a neat handwriting.

_Slade Flynn._

Squall showed his father the photo and the name written on the back, shock is written on Laguna's face when he reeds the name on the back, "I thought he was dead."

* * *

><p>Xu Chang is a mess. A total and complete mess.<p>

One friend missing and one friend badly wounded. How did this happen?

How she wished Quistis had assigned for the mission she was forced to take in the end. Quistis was the first choice, but it was a long assignment. She couldn't take Ayla with her while she had to stay in Trabia for months, and she didn't want to leave Ayla behind. She was even unwilling to leave Seifer for such a long time, which she could understand. She had offered to go in her place so that Quistis could stay in Balamb doing what she loves most, teaching. But why Quistis did take the mission to the moon is still a mystery for her.

She remembered the conversation she had with Squall in his office hours ago.

"_Why did you put Quistis on the mission?"_

"_I didn't," Squall defends himself, he didn't like the accusing tone in Xu's voice. "She volunteered."_

"_Do you know why she did that?"_

"_I don't. I didn't want her to go either, but there wasn't any reason for her not to go. She is one of the highest ranked SeeD, she does have the qualification and she has been in space once before, she knows what to expect."_

"_You are the commander, you could decline. You could forbid her to go. Hell, you could have just said no."_

_Squall shakes his head and places his fist on his desk. "You know as much as I do that if she has made her decision, you can't change her mind. And don't you think if I said 'no' she would leave it at that? I could see she had a list with reasons why she should go, practiced in her mind. I am not foolish enough to contradict her then"_

_That Xu knew, Xu always said that was the only flaw Quistis possessed, stubborn as hell, something her marriage with Seifer only increased. She realizes it isn't Squall's fault but she did want to accuse someone, she needed to yell at someone. _

_It was at that moment Rinoa entered with a pile of food and together the three of them ate in silence, that subject was forgotten and replaced with the talk of what they needed to do to find her. It was a useless subject, they didn't know enough. All they could do was go to Esthar, gather information and then they can make a plan to find their friend. _

"What are you thinking about?"

Xu looked to her left to see the friendly face of Cid staring at her. She had been waiting for him, but she is still shocked to hear his voice, she never heard him coming. She starts walking and Cid falls in step next to her. "Quistis," she said after a few minutes.

That was something Cid had already guessed, he too has been shocked when he heard the news and he too is hurt by it, but he also knows he has to be there for all of them, he is their _father_and they need him to be strong_._And he will.

"Why did she take the mission to the moon?" Xu continued.

"She loves the moon," Cid pointed to the full moon hanging in the sky. "She always has. When she was little she could stay up all night just watching the moon."

"I never knew," Xu said while shaking her head.

"Not many knew," Cid said while keeping his eyes on the moon, "but she was fascinated by the moon when she was younger. When she started using the GF's she lost that fascination, and when the GF's left this world she started staring at the moon again."

Xu looked up, the moon is beautiful, especially here in Esthar, but she can't even look at it for five minutes. Even though she knows Quistis for almost twenty years, sometimes that woman is still a mystery to her.

They were walking towards the hospital, Cid had asked Xu to escort him there to which Xu had gladly accepted, normally it is only a fifteen minute ride on the hover but both of them needed the fresh air, the warm breeze soothed Xu, after months of breathing in the cold air of Trabia she is glad to fill her lungs with the warm Estharian air. And just as important, both of them hate traveling on the hovercrafts, the floating feeling is driving both of their stomachs mad.

"How is the White SeeDs mission going?" Cid asked out of the blue.

Xu isn't surprised Cid knows about that mission, even after five years since he retired he still knows a lot about the happenings off B-Garden. The White SeeDs were in the Deep Sea Research facility. Squall hadn't told Laguna but they had found some strange readings from that facility, almost the same as the one Esthar discovered from the moon. Squall wanted to look if there was a connection between both those readings so he had sent the White SeeDs, which consist of a group of scientist, to check things out. Because it had been ten years since a human had set a foot inside that place, Squall had send Fujin and Rajin along for protection.

Up till now they hadn't found anything, but there were still a lot of computers they had to check, so Rajin told her that it could take some time.

"We haven't found anything yet, but we are still looking."

"Look further, there must be something."

Xu squint at her old headmaster, _he__knows__something,_ she wanted to ask him what he knows but she realizes that if Cid wanted her to know he would have told her already. "We will," she looks closer at the only father figure she ever had and something clicked inside her brain. "You don't think all of this is coincidence, do you?"

"There are no coincidences," a small smile graces his face, "I thought you already knew that."

_I __did, __I _do _know __that. __But __what __if __this __aren__'__t __coincidences, t__hen __what __is __this?_

"Everything is connected," Cid told Xu "You just need to find the right key, but if you do find it all the locks will open, showing you what is inside."

Xu hates it when people start to talk in riddles, she rather have them say what they mean so there can't be any confusing about what they mean.

"The key is in the DSR, I am sure of it."

She doesn't doubt what Cid is telling her, but she does wonder how he seems to know something about everything, _and __it __isn__'__t __the __first __time __I __would __like __to __now __that,_ wisely she keeps quiet. She will figure it out in time, until then she has to wait, _how __I __hate __to __wait._

Finally they had reached the hospital. Inside Xu asked the receptionist in which room Nida was in and she gave them direction. Reaching his room they went quietly inside, Nida was hooked up to all kinds of machines but still he was sleeping peacefully. Irvine was sitting in the chair next to the bed, his feet resting on the windowsill, reading from some comic books he found in the waiting room. When Irvine noticed them enter he put his feet from the windowsill and stands up tipping his, always present, hat and points for Cid to take his chair. Cid thanked him and Irvine excused himself, saying he was going to get some snacks. Cid sits in the chair and Xu sits in the windowsill, changing her view from Nida to the sky outside filled with stars to Nida again.

Not much later Irvine was back and he stood in the back of the room, leaning against the wall.

Xu thanked him silently for staying with him all day to which Irvine told her it was no problem, he would do that for any of his friends.

Xu cranes her neck and her eyes fall on the moon, she keeps thinking about what Cid told her before. The moon was hanging in the sky so close that Xu feels like she could touch this blue looking moon.

_Blue? __Moon? __Quistis? _These three words were twirling inside her headover and over again, _Blue. __Moon. __Quistis._

_The __Blue __Mage __is __attracted __to __the __full __moon,_ a voice inside of her said to her, but where was that voice coming from and to whom belongs that voice?

* * *

><p>He was glad Seifer finally decided to listen to him. For the last few hours he had been asking, pleading, commanding, he had tried anything to get Seifer back to Esthar, to the friends and family he needs. Kiros had never in his life seen someone as stubborn as him, and reasoning with him was like stopping the sun from rising again. He had even played with the idea to just knock him down and take him back, but he had the feeling that wouldn't work, or at least he would get in some serious trouble for doing it, so he had wisely decided to not go on with that plan. In the end he had told Seifer plainly what he thought of him, Seifer felt ashamed and he promised Kiros they will leave as soon as the sun comes up.<p>

Kiros had agreed and he made his way to the personal quarters. There were only two hours left until sunrise but he intended to make full use of them to catch up some sleep. He hadn't slept in twenty-four hours and he was feeling extremely sleepy. _I __am __getting __old, __when __I __was __younger __I __could __stay __awake __for __over __fifty __hours __and __still __fight __my __way __out, __through __enemy __lines._

He had the feeling he had just fallen asleep when the driver woke him up. Sleepily he follows the driver towards their car and he was glad to see Seifer already waiting for him. By the looks of it, Seifer hadn't had any sleep this short night.

The sun was just rising from the east, the first rays of sunlight were already warming his cold bones. Estharian nights on the plains could get cold, even in summer. Kiros' stomach was grumbling and the driver handed him an apple. Kiros thanked him and started nibbling at the apple when he was in the car. The sun was rising higher in the sky and he could already see the skyline of Esthar, _home __sweet __home._

Seifer had finally fallen asleep during the car drive, the monotone sound of the engine granting him the rest he so hard needs.

Seifer reminded him of Laguna when they were searching for Ellone, Laguna hadn't slept since they were put to work in the Lunatic Pandora. For three straight days he had stayed awake, the only moment they were together they had used that little time they had, to discuss how they could find Ellone. Kiros warned him he couldn't go on like that but Laguna didn't listen. Kiros himself did get some sleep, he knew they would need to break free at some point and you can't do that when you are tired. When they finally broke free and they drove to Dr. Odine's labs Laguna had slept the whole way, his loud snoring driving everyone in the car mad, even Ward was threatening to throw him out of the car.

But in the end they did find Ellone and thank Hyne she was okay, he could only hope the same would happen with Quistis.

Seifer grunts and Kiros looks back in the car to see Seifer using the entire backseat, he is lying on his back, his hands placed behind his head. It looks like he is sleeping peacefully but Kiros can see Seifer's eyes move rapidly from left to right and back under his closed eyelids.

_He __must __be __dreaming._ Reading his facial expression Kiros guesses that his dreams are not pleasant, _who __would __have __happy __dreams __when __there __wife __is __missing?_

He kept grunting for minutes and the driver asked him if he needs to stop so that they could wake him up, Kiros told him to keep driving, the sooner they are back, the better.

But the driver had a point, in waking him up, it would be humane to wake him from his nightmare, but something inside of him told him not to do it and Kiros had learned these past years to listen to his feelings.

It did take some time but finally Seifer's grunting stopped and he was apparently having a better dream, he wasn't trashing around anymore.

A sharp turn and the car is on the Esthar main road. Kiros follows Seifer's example and closes his eyes. He is dozing off, but his mind keeps wondering.

W_hy __is __it, __that __there __is __always __some one __lost?_

* * *

><p><em>Dark. <em>

_All she can see is dark._

_She is running. From what or whom she doesn't know. _

_All she knows she has to keep running. _

_Something is tugging at her heart, urging her to go faster._

_One foot in front of another. Faster and faster she runs._

_The trees fly past her, but she does not see them._

_All she can see is dark. _

_A root is making her fall. _

_She is hurt, blood is seeping from her arm._

_But still she knows she must keep running._

_Her long blond hair is flying behind her, much like a cloak. _

_Her blue-purple eye look frightened._

_Her hands are clenched into fist, her knuckles have turned white._

_Suddenly she stops running, it feels like she has walked at a wall._

_She can't go any further._

_She grabs her whip in her right hand, ready to strike if necessary._

_Nothing comes._

_Nothing except for the shadows._

_The moon has come in the sky, a soft light illuminates the place she is standing at._

_A stone circle. Eight pillars stand in a perfect circle, with eight stones perched on top of these pillars horizontally, creating an archway. _

_She is standing in the middle of it._

_From under every archway shadows appears. Shadows of monsters._

_The stars begin to sparkle and she can see the shadows clearly._

_It frightens her, what she sees._

_The first monster closes in, his fang raised, ready to kill her._

_His sharp claws hit her in the shoulder, she has no time to defend herself._

_The second, third, fourth, all monsters come running towards her._

_All ready to attack, ready to kill her._

_Her blue eyes turn to purple. Her blond hair turns a soft shade of blue._

_A blinding white light engulfs the stone circle._

_The light depletes and the shadows are gone._

_But so is she._

"MOMMY!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

After a weak of searching he admitted that he was going slightly mad. He is not the type to just sit and wait and let the others do all the work, but the truth is that he can't help them and all he can do is sit and wait.

"Bored?"

Rajin nods his head. He and Fujin had already checked all the decks and there were no signs of any monsters activity. They hadn't checked the lower floors yet, but that is because a thick metal blast door is blocking the only entrance to the lower levels, all they had to do is check those doors and as long as they are close nothing can go wrong. Squall told them there aren't any computers down there, except for the one at the lowest floor.

"We have checked this entire level, but the signals aren't coming from here," a scientist with blond hair and glasses said. "We are ready to go to the next level."

"Okay," Rajin said and he leads the group to the next level. Taking one final check he cleared the area and the scientist started working immediately. The annoying sound of fingers ticking away on the keypads is driving Rajin crazy, especially after spending a week with the White SeeDs.

Every level of this facility looks the same; the color blue is surrounding them from all angles. The ceiling, the walls, the lamps and even the computers are blue.

Staring through the glass wall he wonders if Leviathan had ever swum in this sea when he was still free, but that was a long time ago and now he will never swim in any of this worlds oceans again. Rajin remembered the story Zell told him when they were on a mission together, how they found the ultimate GF, Eden, here. He told him about how he, along with Squall and Quistis, traveled all the way down to come face to face with the Ultima Weapon in this facility. He told him about all the monsters they came across, Imps, Grendels, Tri-Faces, Behemoths, Iron Giants, Ruby Dragons, and then to finally fight against the strongest monster they had ever seen. Zell told him how tired they all were when they finally reached the bottom of this facility and had fought against Ultima, even though that was a close call it was all worth it in the end, they had found Eden. They couldn't fight alongside each other for long, after they had beaten Ultimecia, _twice,_ the Guardians returned to their own world.

Ten years, and a lot has changed since then. He was a SeeD; he never thought he would ever be one. Together with Fujin and Seifer they were offered the SeeD status, but they had to incline at first, saying they didn't feel welcome anymore in Garden. After a year of traveling around the world they finally reached the orphanage. Seifer had postponed this moment for so long that Fujin and Rajin had dragged Seifer along to have a talk with both Edea and Cid. He and Fujin waited at the beach and when Seifer returned he had a small smile on his face and told them they were finally returning _home._ Rajin was so glad he ran inside and hugged both Edea and Cid, who were quietly laughing at his antics. They took the SeeD Exam and the passed whit flying colors and that was only the beginning of everything that happened since then.

How he wished the scientist would hurry, he didn't want to miss their party, but at the rate they were working now, he knows he is going to miss it.

Rajin grabbed a sandwich from his pack and sits down on the stairs. When he finished his chicken sandwich he checks his watched and wonders what is taking Fujin so long.

Fujin went down to make sure the blast door were still closed, every three hours one of them would go down there and check the doors, it was routine already and it doesn't take more then half an hour to get back up again, _she __is __already __gone for __over __a __hour,_ Rajin grabs his back and his staff and walks over to the blond scientist.

"I am going down, ya know," Rajin said without explaining why.

"Okay," The scientist said without looking up from his computer.

"You are in charge until I get back."

His blond head lifts up and he asks, "Where is Fujin? At all time's one of you two has to stay with us, which are your orders."

Rajin really didn't want to explain why he needed to go down, but he realizes he has no other choice, "Fujin is taken to long down there, I am going to see what is wrong." The scientist looks a bit frightened. Rajin lowers his voice and whispered angry, "you are a SeeD, you are trained to fight, so stop whining, ya know.

The man gulps and nods his head. "Sorry, you are right. We will be alright. Why don't you take one of us with you?"

"I will," Rajin walks to a young man with raven black hair. "Zwart, you are coming with me."

"Just a second," Nero Zwart said. He turns the computer off and stretches his hands, "all done." He looks up to the bulky man and asks, "Do I need to bring my weapon?"

Rajin nods his head. Nero Zwart runs to his backpack and he retrieves two daggers.

Nero was only a SeeD for a year but he had grown in the ranks of the White SeeDs rapidly. He is a good fighter but a much better scientist. Squall sees in him a good leader of the White SeeD, and Rajin has to agree with him. Nero knows when he can be the scientist and he knows when he needs to be a warrior. He is a kind young man but in battle he is a fierce warrior.

"Ready," Nero said, holding both his weapons in his hand.

Both man step on the lift which will take them a level down. After more stairs, ladders and lifts they finally reached the room Fujin is in. Fujin is standing at the blast doors, her hands cupped around her right ear and placed on the door, listening for something.

"Fu? What are you doing?"

"Shhh."

Nero walks to the computer and he sees that Fujin was checking some files about the research they performed here.

"I thought I heard something," the grey haired woman said, walking to the computer Nero is seated behind.

"And?"

"I didn't hear it again," she shrugs and points to a file on the screen and Nero opens it. "I did however find something interesting on this computer."

Rajin walks to the duo and looks over their shoulders on the screen. A report of the leader of the DSR, written on the day of the accident that killed everyone.

_October the fourth in the second year of Adel's reign._

_Tonight the full moon will welcome the last in the line of Blue Mages. Our research has proven that there is a connection between the place of the moon in the sky and with the powers of the Blue Mages. Sadly our last subject died before we could find all the proof we need. _

_We keep a close eye on Blue Mage Quinn Trepe and her unborn daughter. We hope they will survive our test so that we can finally find out how such a filthy race can destroy this world._

_Adel has given us a free pass to do with them as we please._

_I have evacuated all personal from this base except for the leaders of each department. Tonight we will witness the birth of a Blue Mage, the last of its race. For she will be the last one._

"What is this?"

"I am not sure yet," Fujin answered.

"I know," Nero turns his chair around so he is both facing Fujin and Rajin. "He means instructor Trepe, she was born on that day, right?"

Fujin and Rajin exchange a look, for a moment Rajin thought that Nero was a Trepie but he dismisses that thought immediately. "She is, but clearly she isn't the last Blue Mage, ya know."

"True, she isn't the last but there are only two left. The others were killed by Adel." Fujin walks back to the computer and clicks on another file and tells them to read it, it was dated a few days before the previous entry.

_Monster activity has increased the last few days, there have even been sightings of monsters in the lower levels of this facility. I have sent some off my men, but they didn't find anything. I do not fear them but most of the scientists do, I will keep a close eye on the lower levels, a few guards just to keep the scientists happy. _

_But I have to admit, even I start to hear noises coming from the lower levels, growls and screeches of monsters. I need to get some more sleep, I know this place is playing games with my mind, I know it is just the sound of the ocean._

_Three more days till the full moon. I can't wait till I get my hands on the last Blue Mage._

Fujin closed this file and was searching for another file when a scream stopped her.

Rajin runs up the stairs but Fujin stops him, "It's not coming from up there."

All three of them look at the blast door when they heard the scream again.

"We have to get in," Rajin said jumping from one foot to the other.

Nero pressed some buttons on the computer, steam comes from the door and they open slowly.

"How'd you do that?" Rajin asked the scientist.

He looks sheepishly and places his hand behind his head, "Zell told me how he opened these doors years ago."

"Oh." For just a second Rajin thought back on Zell's story, about the monsters that roamed in this place, but he pushes those thought to the back of his mind. Someone is down there and they will see who it is. Nobody of their mission could have gotten down there, so whoever is down there, he or she must have gotten there before they had, but that is impossible. Nobody had been here in the last decade, and if someone had gotten in before they had, they would have noticed that.

"Let's go," Fujin said.

Thankfully there weren't any monsters on the way down.

They didn't hear the scream again and when they finally reach the bottom of the facility they were frustrated that they didn't find anything or anyone.

Nero walks to the only computer down here and is shocked to see that it is broken, and by looking at it he concludes that the damage hadn't happened long ago, and he told Fujin and Rajin so.

"Can you still retrieve the hard drive?"

"I think so," Nero started to dismantle the computer while Fujin and Rajin walked around the room.

_So __here __is __where __they __fought __against __Ultima __Weapon? _Rajin kicked a stone and it landed in a small pool of water.

Kicking another stone in the small puddle down here, his eyes fell on something to his right. Slowly he approaches the shadow and when he is closer he sees a woman with long blond hair, wearing a SeeDs uniform.

"FU!" Rajin yells and he drops down next to the woman. Carefully he turns her around, slowly, and he is shocked to see who is lying in his arms.

"Quistis?"

Fujin drops down next to Rajin and is checking Quistis for a pulse, she nods to Rajin that she found a pulse and Rajin is relieved that she isn't dead.

"What is she doing down here?"

Fujin is checking for injuries but she doesn't find any. She tries to wake Quistis up but she remains unconscious. "I don't know, but we have to get her out of here."

Nero had been so busy with the hard drive that he hadn't heard any of the commotion, he had just put the hard drive in his backpack when he searched for Fujin and Rajin. When he had reached them he was just as shocked as Fujin and Rajin when he saw Quistis. "Is she alright? What is she doing here?"

Instead of answering any of his questions Fujin order him to, "Call Leonhart. NOW!" Nero noticed the urgency in her voice and he runs back up again. Fujin helps Rajin placing Quistis on his back and together they walked back up slowly, carefully not to hurt her.

Reaching the room with the blast door Rajin is glad to see that Nero has brought a stretcher down, to help bringing Quistis to the top. Nero himself has a phone in his hand and gives it to Fujin.

"It is Commander Leonhart."

* * *

><p>It was still early when Laguna told them about the meeting.<p>

Everyone had only a few hours off sleep at best and all of them were awake early. Zell, Selphie and Rinoa were the first one in the kitchen. Squall followed not long after them, and it seemed like he didn't get any sleep at all. He took some bread and ate silently with them. Irvine and Xu were next, they came directly from the hospital. Irvine told them Nida was transported back to Garden and that Dr. Kadowaki will take good care of him.

They all forced some food through their throats, when Seifer entered. The only thing he had said was that he didn't want any of their compassion, so all of them kept quiet. After Seifer had eaten something he told them he was going to check on Ayla and that he will meet them in Laguna's office, all everyone else did was nodding their heads and look at him with compassion in their eyes.

When all of them had finished eating they walked to the meeting room, everyone except for Seifer, Xu and Edea were already seated at the large oval oaken table. Edea will stay with Ayla and Xu was checking in with Dr. Kadowaki to ask how Nida is, she will get back as soon as she can but that will still take at least an hour and she told them to start without her. So they only had to wait for Seifer to join them.

They didn't need to wait long before Seifer walked into the room, he took a seat in the only chair left. Rinoa sat on his right and she grabs his hand, Seifer relaxed slightly because of her gentle gesture.

Laguna coughed lightly to get everyone's attention. "You all know why we are here. So who is going first?"

"I will," Seifer said. "This morning I had a dream about Quistis. Ayla had the same dream." Seifer said while thinking back to what happened an hour ago.

"_I am so glad that you are here," Edea said hugging Seifer warmly. "Ayla had a dream about Quistis and she hasn't stopped crying since."_

_Seifer walked into the room to see his daughter hugging her pillow, her eyes red from crying. Ayla looked up to see her father and she runs into his arms._

"_Mommy is hurt."_

"_I know sweetheart," Seifer strokes Ayla's head. "I know."_

"_Where is she?" his daughter demanded to know._

"_I don't know." This was why Seifer didn't come back earlier. He couldn't look his daughter in the eye while he said that, knowing he had disappointed her, her mother and himself._

"_I have seen her, but it was so dark," she said with her blue eyes, so much like her mothers, looking at him._

"_Tell me what you saw," Seifer sits down on her bed with Ayla still clinging to him._

"_It was dark. Then I saw all these big rocks. And then the shadows came." Ayla started sobbing "The monsters attacked mommy."_

_Seifer was perplexed, he too had this dream this morning. He wonders if this dream is reality or if it is trying to tell him something. He will have to ask Ellone and Sarah, they have the most experience with dreams._

"_I want my mommy."_

_Seifer's heart broke once again. He didn't want to leave his daughter now, but he knows he must. He must find his wife._

"_Ayla, honey." Ayla looks at him and he knows he will do anything to find her mother, "I promise you I will find mommy."_

"_Pinky promise?" _

"_Pinky promise." Seifer said while he links his pink with her smaller pinky._

"I don't know what this dream meant. Did I see the present or the future or did that dream tried to warn me."

"It could mean anything," Sarah said. "Did the place she was in look familiar?"

"It didn't, I have never seen such a place before."

"Anyone else ever heard of such a place?" Sarah asked the room but nobody answered. "I am afraid we won't know until we find Quistis."

Everyone was lost in their thoughts, trying if they can recall a place which fulfils the description when Ellone said, "I too had a dream about Quistis."

All heads turn her way and she tells them about her dream, they all listen closely, they know that when Ellone dreams they are special.

"I saw them die," she said while she had finished sharing her dream. "But I think that was a warning off what could happen in the future. I know we can stop it, we just have to know who that man was who…" She didn't have to finish that sentence, they all knew what she meant.

Sarah walks over to Ellone, standing behind her she places her hands on her shoulders. "I had the same dream and I share Ellone's assumption, this is a warning."

Sarah walks over to Laguna and continues talking, "I remembered seeing the sword this unknown man uses, and it belonged to Kaim. He used that sword while they were fighting against Adel's troop. Kaim's lost his sword and Adel took possession of that sword, so the one we are looking for is someone who has a close connection to her."

She had reached Laguna, he stood up and offered her his seat. Sarah sits down and Laguna tells them, "Squall and I found out who killed SeeD Neva, Nida remembered seeing him before on a photograph in Odine's lab." Laguna places a photo on the board, "this is Slade Flynn, a former associate of Adel. He killed Delia Neva and almost killed Nida too." Laguna walked over to Kiros and Kiros moved over to the board placing a picture of the Thor on it.

"We haven't found anything through the black box," Kiros said walking around the table. "They are still looking but the chances of them finding anything useful is slim till nothing."

Ward signaled something and Kiros nodded his head, showing that he didn't forget.

"Ward and I did find something else about Slade Flynn. He worked at the DSR for some time, apparently he was the head of that facility. He was close to Adel, so it is possible that he received Kaim's sword, so he can be the man Ellone and Sarah dreamed about."

Before Kiros could tell more the doors _whoosh_ open and a tired looking Xu entered the room.

"Quistis," Xu said breathing loudly, holding a phone in her hand. "Fujin and Rajin found Quistis."

* * *

><p>The last few weeks had been easy for her. The SeeDs exams were over and most SeeDs and trainees were enjoying their free days. A free day for SeeD mostly means no fighting, and that means no injuries. She knew her luck had run out know that she has two patients in her office, and they were among the ones she didn't want to see here, again.<p>

Walking over to Nida's room she is glad to see that he is finally asleep, he had been in much pain the last few hours and the pain med's didn't seem to kick in. In the end she gave him some sleeping med's and they did work.

Thankfully Nida is getting better, he will still need a few weeks of rehabilitation but physically he will be alright. Mentally Dr. Lisa Kadowaki isn't so sure, he did get a hard blow, one fellow SeeD dead and the other in coma. The fact is, he still has a hard time ahead of him, but Lisa will help him the entire way.

In the room next to Nida's is the one person Lisa does see as her own blood. Quistis has been like a daughter for her since they first time Quistis set foot inside this Garden, almost twenty years ago, and she had never worried about her as much as she does right know.

Quistis is in some sort of coma, but Lisa hadn't really had the chance to examine her properly. The entire gang flew with the Ragnarok to the Deep Sea Research to pick her up, they had only forgotten to take a medic with them. Lisa did teach Rinoa the basics but she should have been the one to see her first, and she did tell Squall that.

"_Why wasn't I informed?" Dr. Lisa Kadowaki shouted through the phone line. "Why didn't I know that you found Quistis?"_

_She can hear muffled voices on the other side of the line and the deep voice of Cid comes through._

"_Please Lisa, calm down."_

"_I won't calm down Cid. I should be with you on the Ragnarok. I still am the CMO of this Garden, she is still one of mine responsibilities. You need a full fledge medic with you, did you bring a doctor from Esthar?"_

_She can image how Cid is moving nervously around, they should have thought of that. _

"_No we didn't." Cid had to admit. "We didn't really think, we all just wanted to see her as soon as we can."_

_Lisa didn't mean to sound this harsh, but she was pissed and when she was you had to watch out. "Are you at the DSR yet?"_

"_Five more minutes. I will call you back." Cid said and the line went dead._

_Walking back and fro in the infirmary she waited for Cid to call her back. Five minutes turned to ten, ten to twenty, and finally after thirty minutes Lisa Kadowaki heard her phone ringing._

"_Yes."_

"_Lisa?" Rinoa's voice sounded worried through the phone line._

"_Yes Rinoa, are you with Quistis?"_

"_Yes I am."_

"_Tell me what you see, how is she."_

"_She is fine apart from not waking up. I can't find any injuries. Not even bruises or scratches. She looks to be perfectly healthy-"_

_The shouting voice of Seifer sounds faded through the phone, Lisa thought she heard him make some sarcastic comment but she can't be sure._

"_Okay, bring her home. I wanted her here like ten minutes ago." _

_Rinoa caught the threat that went unsaid. "We'll be there in three hours."_

Rinoa kept true to her word, three hours later Quistis was finally brought to her infirmary but it was so full of people she couldn't even check on her patient. She had ordered everyone to get out, which was not a simple feet, she even had to threaten some of them before they would leave, reminding them who controls the needles always seems to work on them. Seifer did stay and Dr. Kadowaki didn't send him away, he needed to stay here and to spend some time with his wife, Lisa can understand that.

Lisa also had to check on Nida, he is in a lot of pain and after seeing the ghost like Quistis his morale dropped several levels, which is not good for his own recovery. After she gave Nida some sleeping med's she walked to Quistis room.

She knows she has to make Seifer leave, but she can't. She really needed to do some test and her overprotective husband will be in Lisa's way, but she can't order him to leave. He looked so heartbroken sitting on the chair next to Quistis' bed. He is holding her small, cold, limp hand in his own. His other hand is absently stroking her hair out of her face. She was so cold that they had wrapped her in three blankets, Lisa moved her hand to Quistis forehead feeling if she is getting warmer. Lisa is glad that she did feel a bit warmer but not as much as Lisa would like. She also draws some blood, she fills the tube and takes them with her to her lab.

The results will take some time so Lisa walks to her desk. A plate with diner was brought to her by one of her trainees. She starts to eat on her already cold diner but she doesn't mind, it certainly isn't the first time her food has turned cold. When she had finished she dumped her tray in the trashcan and walked to the ICU.

Opening the door to Quistis' room she isn't surprised to see Seifer sleeping with his head on Quistis chest. His head moves up and down equal to her breathing. She moves over to him and shakes him gently awake. She can see the confusion in his eyes and she said quickly, "Nothing is wrong. I just want you to get some sleep in a proper bed."

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes he said, "I won't leave her."

Lisa shakes her head softly, she knew he wouldn't leave but she had thought about that.

"Your daughter needs you Seifer. There is nothing you can do for Quistis but you need to be with your daughter right now. I will take care of Quistis, you know she is like a daughter to me. I promise you nothing will happen while you check on Ayla."

She sees that Seifer is ready to protest but she holds out her finger and stops him. "Not a single word. You will go back to Esthar, check on your daughter and get some real sleep in a real bed. I don't want to see you here within the next twenty-four hours, understood?"

"But-" Seifer started but he stopped when he saw Lisa getting angry. "-Okay, I will go. But promise me you will call when something changes." Seifer bents over to Quistis and gives a small kiss on her cold lips. "I love you," he whispered on her lips.

"I will," Lisa said. She moved over to Seifer and gave him a motherly hug. "You just take care of yourself first."

While Seifer walks out Lisa walks in Quistis' room, she grabs her medical kit and starts to measure Quistis' blood pressure. "Let's find out what is wrong with you hon."

* * *

><p>Please make me a happy woman and leave a review! It will be much appreciated:)<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Lisa Kadowaki hated to ask anybody for help, especially him, but she knows she won't figure it out on her own. She doesn't know what is wrong with Quistis, and frankly, without any help, she doesn't think that she will ever find out.

Quistis' condition reminds her too much like how Rinoa was after she received her Sorcery powers. From the backlash of receiving that much power she went into a coma state. It was only after Squall had found Ellone that they found out what was wrong with Rinoa. It is sad they can't do the same for Quistis, but Ellone hasn't gotten that power anymore and the one who has build a machine based on her powers may be her only hope.

When Dr. Odine entered _her_ infirmary the shivers were running down her spine. She simply can't stand this little man, but for Quistis she will do anything, including working together with the man she despises.

"So you _do_ need my help?"

Lisa was glad that Dr. Odine had finally learned to speak properly; she always had trouble understanding him when he spoke with that bad accent. She ignored his jest and said, "I take all the help I can get, even yours."

"So our Blue Mage is in trouble," Odine stated.

The small man walked to the still comatose Quistis. He grabs the clipboard and starts reading, humming from time to time. Lisa waits patiently for him to finish reading. Lisa had done everything she can but she still didn't find anything that will help her understand why Quistis is in a coma. She is physically in perfect shape so that can only mean something is wrong mentally, that is something she can't find out on her own. Dr. Odine knows a lot more on how the human brains work and she hopes with all her heart he will find out what is wrong with her.

"There is nothing I can do here," Dr. Odine said deadpanned.

Lisa's heart sank, "I thought you were the expert, that is why I asked for you specific."

"No, no," Dr. Odine shakes his head. "There is nothing I can do from here. I would like to bring her back to my lab."

She had accounted for that possibility, although she doesn't like it, she has no other choice but to agree. "Okay, you may examine her in your lab, but only-"

"I didn't ask for permission."

"- if I am allowed to stay with her at all times," she finished.

She wasn't planning on letting Dr. Odine alone with Quistis at any time; she will make sure he can't perform any weird experiments on her.

"Fine. If that is what you want," Dr. Odine shrugs his shoulders and gives Lisa the clipboard back. "I expect her in my lab this afternoon."

"I will take care of it," Lisa said to Dr. Odine's retreating back.

If she wants to leave with Quistis to Esthar she does have to take care of a few things before she can leave. But first she should check on Nida.

"Nida, how are you feeling today?" She asks the SeeD when she enters his room.

"Good. How is Quistis? Any changes?"

For the last six day he had asks her that same question over and over again, and every time the answer is the same, "No changes."

Nida's lower his head slightly, he is still feeling responsible about Quistis condition. Everybody had told him he was not to blame, even Seifer had come in to say that he did not blame Nida. He even thanked him, saying that if it wasn't for him flying the ship, she surely would be dead. Nida had contradicted him, saying that he did kill one person and who knows what is wrong with the other. Seifer sat silently through Nida's rambling, when Nida stopped talking he walked over to him and Nida was afraid that Seifer would punch him, something he believed he deserved. But to his surprise Seifer gave him a manly hug and told him again how grateful he was and that Nida didn't need to blame himself. _Something__'__s __never __change, _she thinks as she can clearly see the guilt in his eyes_._

"I am bringing Quistis to Esthar and I will stay there with her," she told Nida. She wanted him to know that she would leave but she wasn't intending to tell him what they would do there, something even she doesn't know.

"I hope you find something," Nida said

_Me __too, _Lisa thinks while she takes Nida's physical test.

After she finished Nida asked her, "So when can I leave."

"Not yet I am afraid," she answered as she walked out of his room. "I think two or three more days."

"Thanks."

Lisa walked to her office and grabbed the phone she pushed the speed button and she didn't have to wait long before a female voice said, _"__Xu__Chang.__"_

"Xu, it is Lisa. I need transportation to Esthar, I would like to take Quistis to Dr. Odine's labs."

"_Why are you letting her near that creep?"_

"That _creep_ maybe the only one that can help her," Lisa said jus as angry. "Do you think I like it, but we have no other choice. I don't know what to do anymore."

"_Sorry, I know this is hard on you, like it is to us all, but I have to say that I don't like it."_

"I don't like it either, that is why I am intending to stay with her at all times."

"_I am glad to hear that, I could send some SeeD whit you, just to be sure, I don't think Laguna would mind."_

"Thanks Xu but that is not necessary, if you could just arrange me the transport that would be fine." She didn't doubt that at least Rinoa would stay with her in Odine's lab and that is all the help she needs.

"_Have you called Jen yet?"_

"Not yet."

"_Call her, I don't want an unemployed infirmary. I will take care of the transport, it will be ready at three. I will pick you up, I am coming with you."_

Lisa hadn't expected anything else from Xu. "Okay. I'll wait for you here," Lisa said and she put the phone down. She starts to dial the next number, playing absently with the phone cord.

"_Jennifer __Beckett.__" _Her friend answered.

"Jen I need you to cover for me for some time."

"_Sure thing Lisa, I'm on my way."_

* * *

><p>Even though Cid hadn't been a headmaster for five years all the SeeD in Balamb still threat him like one, giving him the respect he deserves. He gave most of them a home when they hadn't one, he always had a listening ear available for anyone and he will always forgive you, no matter how big the mistake is that you make.<p>

Walking inside _his_ garden makes him realize how much he misses this place, mind you he doesn't miss the work and he is happy with the way he lives with Edea at the orphanage, but he misses _them,_his children.

When he reaches the infirmary he isn't surprised to see that the short woman with honey-blond hair had already made herself comfortable here, she had been here for a week and Cid is feeling a bit guilty that he didn't went to see her sooner. "Hello Jennifer, I am glad you could help us out at such short notice."

"No problem," she said.

"How have you been?"

"Good," Jennifer points towards her ring finger, "married."

"Congratulations, so Ronon did finally pop the question?"

"He sure did," Jennifer said with a glint in her eyes.

Jennifer Beckett points to the seat in front of her and Cid sits down. It had been almost two years since they saw each other for the last time. Jennifer is a close friend of Lisa and she has been her substitute for years now.

Eight years ago Jennifer was an intern under Lisa Kadowaki, Lisa wanted to make sure she will have a good replacement ready for when she has to quit working and she wanted to train that person personally. Jennifer had come straight from med school and she was happy to work with Lisa. For two years she worked inside the garden next to Lisa and then she moved to the Deling Hospital. She did return every year to replace Lisa for a month, Lisa's vacation, for the next four years. Two years ago she transferred to Esthar and she has been working there ever since. He was glad that Jen and Lisa still kept contact and that she could make it here at such short notice, he wouldn't know who else he could ask and Rinoa isn't trained to take over the infirmary on her own and he didn't think she could handle it now and he couldn't blame her for that.

"How is everyone."

"Not good Jennifer." He replied truthfully.

Ten days ago they found Quistis and everyone was trying its hardest to help her, one way or another.

Squall and Zell have been searching for any information they can find about Slade Flynn for the last week non stop. So far they hadn't found anything. Laguna was helping them searching through every document they can have in Esthar and Garden.

Kiros and Ward had been asking Dr. Odine about Flynn, but he said he didn't remember that man and that they need to leave him alone. They did leave him alone after that, he truly didn't remember that man which was no surprise because Odine only paid attention to Adel at that time. They checked his lab but found no other clues about the man they are looking for.

Selphie, Xu and Irvine went with Rajin and Fujin back to the DS-research facility hoping they could find something there, as to how Quistis got there. But so far they hadn't found anything.

Rinoa is with Lisa looking after Quistis and keeping a close eye on Dr. Odine. To Rinoa and Lisa's surprise he really is doing his best to find out what is wrong with Quistis and not because of curiosity or anything, he has been frustrated and cranky the entire week because he can't figure out what is wrong with her.

Seifer was either in Odine's lab with Quistis or with his daughter in Laguna's place. He was clearly lost.

Edea and Ming are staying with Ayla in Esthar. Seifer had told his daughter that they found her mother but that she is sleeping and wont wake up. Ayla had pleaded to see her but Seifer had refused. All Ming and Edea could do was trying to keep Ayla occupied so she won't think about her mother too much. But this is hard for both woman, they too want to see Quistis.

Sarah and Ellone are trying to figure out what their dreams meant, every single night either one of them had the _dream_again. It didn't change but they couldn't find anything that would help them.

And Seth and Kaim said they were looking for something and then they took a car and left. They didn't tell anyone were they were going and when Cid asked Sarah she only smiled, shrugged her shoulder and told him she didn't know.

With everyone gone from the Garden he felt he had to stay here and he told Jennifer everything that happened the last week.

"I'll help anyway I can."

Cid smiled, "I know you will. Thank you."

The phone starts ringing and Jennifer excused herself and picks up the phone. Cid moves from his chair and visits the only patient left in the infirmary. Upon entering the door he is glad to see that Nida is sleeping peacefully, for the last few nights he has been plagued with nightmares so Jennifer had decided to keep him in the infirmary a bit longer. Cid takes the chair next to the bed and sits quietly next to Nida.

_I __can__'__t __help __the __others __right __now, __but __I __can __help __him._

* * *

><p>His head is resting on a desk when he heard an annoying ringing sound in his ears. He was exhausted and he just wanted to close his eyes for some time but the ringing made it impossible for him. He lifts his head and opens his eyes to see his own phone is making those annoying noises. Slowly he reaches for the phone and he can see the id of the caller, <em>Xu, <em>his eyes snap open and he answers his phone, "You found something?"

"_Yes we did. Slade Flynn was indeed the research leader of the DSR. We found a list of all the employees that were working with him, including the leaders of every department."_

Squall hears some tinkering in the back and a curse before Xu continues, _"__I __am __sending __the __files __over __to __you __right __now.__"_

Squall rolls his chair towards his laptop on the other side of the desk and he sees his computer is busy uploading the files Xu send.

"_It seems all of them were involved with the experiments, especial the ones they did on the Blue Mages. I send you a personal file from Flynn, it appears he was the leader of some cult and their main goal was to kill all Blue Mages."_

Squall can hear the anger in Xu's voice, the same anger he feels imbedded inside his chest.

"_I am sorry Squall I have to keep this short, a storm is coming and we need to leave before it comes here. I will-"_

Squall throws his phone on the desk when he hears the dead phone line. _Damn__those__storms._ Squall knows how these storms can come out of nowhere on the southern oceans, he had experience that himself years ago when they were caught in the biggest storm he had ever seen in his life. He can still remember the rain splashing against the Ragnarok, the bright flashes that lighted everyone's faces and the sound of the howling wind which blew them from their course. Selphie had flown them out of there safely and he knows she can do it again.

A _ping_ announces the arrival of the file and Squall sent it to print it out immediately. Walking to the printer he sees Zell approaching with a sour look on his face.

Zell had been in another section of the large archives under the Estharian palace, Squall and Zell had split-up so they could search through this enormous amount of files faster, but so far they hadn't found anything and by the looks of Zell's face he still search was still fruitless.

"You found anything?" Zell asks.

Squall grabs the paper from the printer and shows it to his friend.

Zell's eyes grow large while he checks the paper, "you found something!" He said with a tiny bit of hope in his voice.

"I'll explain later, first we need to find Laguna."

Zell nods his head, he turns around and walks against something bulky. Zell rubs his head and lets out a small laugh when he sees who he bumped into, he bumped into Ward.

"Did somebody call me?" Laguna said while he walks into the archives with Kiros on his tail.

"Yes, I need you to check this list," Squall said and Zell hands Laguna the list Squall mentioned. "I want to speak to everyone on this list."

"That will be difficult, most of them will be dead, did you check their birth days?" Laguna said while checking the names on the list. "If there is someone alive Kiros will surely find them."

Kiros rolls his eyes and grabs the list from Laguna before he, together with Ward, walk towards the elevator to the upper levels.

Zell's grumbling stomach reminds Squall of his own empty stomach, he knows he should eat something but he just isn't hungry. If Rinoa was here she would force him to eat something, _but__she__isn__'__t__here._Squall has no trouble ignoring his empty stomach, Zell however has.

"Sorry Squall, I really need to eat something," he looks apologizing towards Squall.

"I think we all need to eat some," Laguna claps his hand on Zell's shoulder and leads him to the exit of the archives. "You coming Squall?" He asks when he sees that his son is not following him.

_No_, he thinks but he wisely keeps his mouth shut. If he declined, his father will force him to come with him and he is not looking forward to that situation, his father can be scary when he is angry. So instead he replied with, "Just a minute, I'll be right behind you."

Laguna doesn't believe a word his son said but he does step into the elevator without him.

When Squall is alone again he stares at his laptop until he hears a second _ping_ and Squall knows Slade Flynn's personal files had finally arrived in his inbox.

Hastily Squall opens the first file, he needs to know more about this mystery man they can't seem to find.

_August the sixteenth, seventeen years after Adel's disappearing. _

_Even though it has been seventeen years after Adel disappeared. I am still loyal towards her and my loyalty has paid of, she is finally back, she has returned to me. I can feel her presence in every fiber of my body. It has been to long since I saw her for the last time. _

_Her fiery red hair and eyes, how I have missed them._

_I have searched for her a long time while I also had to keep a close eye on the BM. She is a SeeD, trained to kill Sorceresses, trained to kill my loved one. That is all I know about her, she has slipped through my fingers. Someone is protecting her, but whom?_

_For the last eighteen years I have failed to kill her, that filthy woman. I fear Adel's wrath._

_But something is wrong, I feel another presence inside of her. It is strong, powerful, evil._

Squall closes the file, this one a few weeks after Quistis is born.

_October the thirtieth, in the second year of Adel's reign._

_This is my first entry since the birth of the Blue Mage. I never suspected that her birth would be accompanied with the birth off something else, a monster, a Weapon to be precise._

_We, the leaders of every department, had been watching the moon on our screens. We were all fascinated with the increasing activity of the monsters on the moon. _

_I was on my way down when we heard the first cry of the baby. The crystals started to resonate and the shape of an ancient Weapon appeared. I barely had time to escape with my own life when the monster raised, even though it was still young it was already deadly. Thanks to my intense training and my fast reflexes I was able to get out of the doomed building, but I was barely alive._

_I don't know how many have survived, but till today I haven't seen any of them again (not that I care)._

_So it seemed my assumptions have been correct, when a Blue Mage is born a Weapon too is born. I know I shouldn't conclude this without any other references, but this is the last time it will happen again. _

_Sadly we will never have the proof for my theory. _

"That can't be right'," Squall said after he had read the last entry for the second time.

"What can't be?"

Squall hadn't noticed that Zell had returned, with a plate full of hotdogs. "This," Squall said while he grabbed a hotdog, "it says that when a Blue Mage is born a Weapon is also born."

Zell almost chokes on his hotdog. After a final round of coughs he asked, "You mean there is a Weapon roaming around for five years?"

Squall shakes his head, "It is what Flynn said, but I don't believe him. If there were any Weapons on the loose we would have known."

"I guess you are right."

Squall had just finished his second hotdog when Laguna with Kiros and Ward came back.

"Every single one of them is dead," Laguna said and he throws a pile of paper on the table. "Either they were killed at the accident in the DSR or they were dead within a few years after it."

"Only Slade Flynn is alive," Kiros stated.

"So we still don't know anything," Zell said frustrated.

"I think I know where his hideout," Squall said after a few minutes of silence. "In his personal files he mentioned a secret cave north of Esthar, near the Trabian border."

"Wait a minute," Laguna rubs his head trying to remember what Kaim said to him. "Kaim is heading that way."

"What?" Squall shouts. "What is he doing there and how did he know-"

"I don't know son," Laguna intervened. "He didn't tell me anything except that he was going north."

Two days ago Kaim, Seth and some Estharian Soldier left Esthar to search for something. Squall can't remember that either one of them told him about what they were about to do. At that time he didn't really care what they did, as long as it would help them he didn't care what they were doing.

"We need to cal them."

* * *

><p>A yawn escapes Rinoa's mouth and she places her hand before her mouth. With her other hands she squeezes Quistis cold one, "I'll be right back, I need to have a cup of coffee." Rinoa chuckled slightly, she can imagine what Quistis would have said about her addiction to coffee if she was awake.<p>

Walking to the only coffee maker in the corner of the room she finally understood how Squall must have felled when she was in a coma all these years ago. Before Selphie left, jus a few days ago, she had pulled Rinoa aside and told her that Quistis' condition was so much like her own, when she was in a coma. She was as white as a ghost and the only prove that she was alive was her even breathing, something she and Quistis shared in common. She can't remember anything of that time but she feels guilty of what she was putting her friends through, even though she couldn't do anything about it. She wonders if Quistis will feel the same way, because if she does she will tell her _not_ to feel that way.

She even feels guiltier if she sees Seifer walking slowly in the room towards his wife, _did__Squall__look__the__same__then?_ Seifer is in the same situation as Squall was over ten years ago, well almost. Her and Squall were barely friends then but Seifer and Quistis were married for almost six years, Seifer is having a much rougher time and it clearly shows. Dark rings are under his eyes, showing his lack of sleep for the last two weeks, he has been spending his time either sitting next to Quistis or keeping his daughter company. Rinoa wished there was anything she could do to help him, but she doesn't know how.

Seifer nods his head slightly in a way of greeting, but his eyes are empty. Understanding the need for Seifer to be alone with his wife, she leaves.

With her cup of coffee in her hand she searches for Dr. Kadowaki, Rinoa found her in the lab behind a microscope. "I'm going back," Rinoa announces. "See how the others are doing."

"Seifer is back?" Lisa said without taking her eyes from the microscope.

Lisa and Rinoa had decided that one of them will be with Quistis at all times, in case Dr. Odine would do something. "He is." Rinoa confirmed. Have you found something?"

"Nothing," was the short answer of the doctor. "I'll call you when I do find something."

Rinoa thanked Lisa and made her way to the presidential palace. Thankfully it was just a short ride on the hover and in no time she was standing at the entrance of the large building.

If Squall was still here she would have checked on him but he had left just an hour ago. They had found the location of one of the hideouts of Slade Flynn and they hoped that he might be hiding out there. Zell, Laguna and Ward went with them and checking her watch they still have a few hours to travel.

Kiros was left behind to watch over Esthar so she wasn't planning on keeping him from his work. Ellone and Sarah were still working on their dreams, she could go and help them but she wasn't feeling up to it, she just wanted to relax for a bit.

While she walks by Seifer's room she hears a soft sound. _It __can__'__t __be __Seifer, __he __is __in __Odine__'__s __lab._ Having no other choice but to check on who is in his room she opens the door and peaks inside, on the large bed a small figure is lying on her side, curled up under the blankets, crying softly.

Standing next to the bed she lifts the blanket and slides in the bed next to her niece. Rinoa pulls Ayla to her chest and places her arms protectively around her. After minutes of lying on the bed Ayla's cries turned into sobs and finally it ends altogether. Rinoa pushes Ayla's blond bangs out of her face and dries her tears. "What's wrong honey?"

"I want my mommy and daddy."

"I know honey, I know." She doesn't know what else to say. What can she say? Rinoa can see the next batch of tears already forming in her eyes. She was trying to think of a way to distract Ayla from thinking about her parents when Ellone walked in to the room. She wanted to say something to her but Ellone hushes her.

"Do you want to hear a story?"

Ayla's head lift up at the sound of Ellone's soft voice. A small smile form on her lips, and she nods her head eagerly. Ayla loves to hear story's, especially when Ellone tells them. Ellone's story sound like they happened for real and recently she loves to hear the pirate story's off Seth.

Ellone slips in under the blanket on the other side of Ayla and she clears her throat before she begins. "Over a thousand years ago there lived a young girl, a princes, in the beautiful grand city of Uhra-"

Ayla listened to Ellone's story and the thought about her parents is momentarily forgotten.

Not long after Ellone finished her story all three were fast asleep. At the threshold Edea and Ming stand with proud smiles on their faces, watching their children sleeping peacefully.

* * *

><p>He was breathing loudly, his lungs were burning in his chest. He leans on his sword to catch his breath for a moment.<p>

_How __did __this __happen? _He wondered while he pushes his sword out of the ground and runs to his opponent.

They had entered the cave and after a mile walking he was surprised when light entered the tunnel. When the three of them walked into the large room they found out where the light was coming from. With his mouth wide open he was shocked when he saw the clear blue sky, they had dug all the way to the top and the room itself was hundreds of meters wide and equally as long.

He had put his hands on the red rocks and he could feel the moister dripping of them. They were about to explore the room when a loud roar echoed through the room. Wasting no time he draws his blade and shield. Next to him he can hear his comrades do the same, the steel of the swords glisten in the fading sunlight.

If it wasn't for the warning from the man next to him he would certainly be dead by now. The men yelled and the woman pushed him out of the way.

The next thing he knew his comrades were fighting against this giant monsters. The monsters claws were as big as he is, it was walking on two legs and with his arms he held a giant magic sword. If that wasn't enough even his tail was deadly, as he would find out himself.

He steadied himself when the monster cast an _earth_ spell and he rushed towards the monster. He was able to hit him a few times but he wondered if it hurt the creature at all. The tree of them worked in sync for a moment. The woman was able to hit the monster in its unprotected belly. The monster roared and before he knew it his tail hit him and threw him across the room.

Once again, that was the action that saved him. When he rushed at the monster a bright yellow light engulfed his comrades. It was such a strong spell that he was being thrown back against the wall. He searches his pockets and fumbles around until he finds a potion, but before he is able to heal his comrades the monster strikes again.

Both the man and woman lay on the ground, motionless.

Are they d_ead? _The man shakes his head, _that __can__'__t __be, __they __are __immortal._

He doesn't have long to think about it, the monster spots him and if the monster could grim he would have, the monster cast a forbidden spell.

_Meteor._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Her small cold hands lay in his warm palms.

_How can I help you?_

He softly strokes her wedding ring.

_What can I do to help you?_

He brings her fingers to his mouth and places a gently kiss on the tip of her fingers.

_Tell me what I need to do?_

He places her hands back on her chest.

_Hyne please, help me. _

He looks to the photo placed on her nightstand. Their child's first birthday, a picture of a happy family.

_Help us._

* * *

><p>She knows this city, she has the feeling she has been here before. The golden gate she stands before looks exactly as how her mother described them.<p>

The Grand City of Uhra.

_Am I dreaming?_

The gate opens and a young woman approaches her. The woman looks familiar but she can't place her face. The woman is wearing a beautiful green dress, a dress fit for a princess. She wears a simple golden necklace and a tiara is placed on top of her head.

_She is a princess._

Ellone thinks back to the story's her mother used to tell her, her mother never told anything about princesses from Uhra, except for one.

Seth. Not the immortal one, but Tolten's daughter. The one she told Ayla a story about before she fell asleep.

_I am dreaming. She is long dead._

Could this be Seth, Tolten's daughter, princess of Uhra? Ellone remembers the story's her mother told her, about the time the Guardians attacked her world. Seth was only three at that time, just two years younger than Ayla is. She had lost her mother and her father was off fighting this new threat.

_I'll make sure Ayla won't lose her mother._

She can't remember her mother telling her anything about Seth when she was older.

Her blond hair was pulled into a simple but elegant braid and when she was closer Ellone can see her light brown eyes. She wanted to ask this woman who she is, if she is indeed Seth, daughter of Tolten, princess of Uhra, but before she can open her mouth the young woman puts her finger to her mouth, signaling her to keep quiet. Ellone nods her head and the woman signals Ellone to follow her.

Ellone hesitate for a moment before following her.

They don't walk through the gate, which had already closed but which Ellone hadn't notice, but they walk to a side entrance and take the elevator up. Ellone is surprised that there are no Uhran Soldiers anywhere; Ming had told her this place used to be swarming with soldiers.

When the elevator reaches the top both woman step out of the lift into the empty waiting room of the gondola's. The young woman leads her to the right gondola. Boarding the gondola the young woman sits down on the soft couch and crosses her legs while looking outside trough the window. Ellone follows her example.

The ride was short and Ellone hadn't had the time to enjoy the scenery, she had been watching the young woman the whole time. She is almost certain that this must be Tolten's daughter, but why would she appear to her in a dream? And why doesn't she say anything?

Ellone hadn't noticed that the gondola stopped until the young woman uncrossed her legs and walks out of the gondola. Ellone follows her swiftly and when the fresh air hit her face she finally looks outside to see the most impressive palace she has ever seen or heard about. She can't describe how beautiful it is, but she doesn't have time to admire its beauty, the young woman walks towards the palace.

The front doors open automatically when they approach, they walk up the stairs, onto the elevator and they end up at the roof of the building.

This place she can remember, when she was a child herself the story about the golden warrior had always been a favorite one of hers. The original statue of the golden warrior was gone, it wasn't really a statue Ellone remembers, but Tolten had replaced it with a replica anyway.

The young woman bows before the statue and she whispers a small prayer, but Ellone doesn't here a word from what she is saying.

Ellone stands rooted on the spot when the young woman finally talks to her.

"_Welcome Ellone, I am Seth, daughter of Tolten, princess of Uhra."_

The sound of her voice is faint, as if it is traveling a long way to reach her eyes.

"_I have something important to tell you. To help the one you have lost you must look deep inside of yourself."_

The woman turns around and Ellone can see the hurt portrayed in her eyes.

"_Your powers aren't lost. Not anymore. You must go and find them. If you found them you can help others and those others can help the lost one."_

If Ellone wasn't confused before, she certainly was now.

"_You have already been on quite a journey, but that journey is far from over. Rediscover your gifts and you can save your friend."_

Seth stood their waiting patiently for Ellone to take al this new information in. After a few minutes Ellone asks her, "How can I have my powers back, I had to sacrifice them to get us all back to our own world after we defeated Gongora and Ultimecia."

"_Indeed you did. You had to sacrifice them, but now you need those powers again, so your gift is returned to you."_

"But how is that possible?" Ellone asks with pleading eyes, "I don't understand it. I don't know-"

"_Hush little one. You will understand in time. And now is it time for you to go."_

"Go? Go where?"

"_Back. Think about where you want to go, think about the lost one and you will be brought back."_

Ellone closes her eyes and thinks about Quistis lying in Odine's lab. When she opens her eyes she sees that Seth is slowly disappearing, and so is the rest of Uhra. A bright white light blinds Ellone and when she finally opens her eyes she is in a dark place. Thinking about the things Seth said to her she screams for her lost friend.

For minutes Ellone screams and the silence is her only answer. Just when Ellone opens her mouth again she hears a voice.

"Ellone?"

Her voice sounds weak and tired but Ellone is happy, she has longed to hear that voice again for a long time.

"Quisty!"

* * *

><p><em>Her whip slashed through the air and the Buel was dead. Her SeeD exam had been quite boring until that moment. A Geezerd closed in on her left, she turns around and ducks just in time to avoid the jumping Geezerd. She stands up quickly and her whip flies around the Geezerd's thick neck, breaking it in an instance. <em>

_She hears a high pitch and a Cockatrice runs to her from behind, intending on attacking her. Quistis reaction was to slow and the Cockatrice hit her shoulder. Quistis was lucky, the Cockatrice hit her left shoulder instead of her right, she can still wield her whip. The Cockatrice runs into the tree line. _

_Quistis turns around to see where her team mates are. Xu just finished another Buel and made her way to Phoebe, helping her with the last two Geezard's. _

_She was only distracted for a moment, but that moment was all that the Cockatrice needed to attack her again. She never noticed the monster until she felt its warm blood splash on her back. Quickly she turns around to see a gunblade piercing the bird's chest. _

"_What are you doing here? You shouldn't leave your post!" Quistis said angrily._

"_Thanks would be a start." The boy with piercing green eyes said._

The picture fades and is replaced with new ones.

_She hated this place. She wanted to be back at the orphanage near the sea. She felt at home near the sea, not this place. They told her Matron they lived in Dollet, Quistis had heard stories about this city near the ocean and she couldn't wait to see this new place. Of course she would miss her friends, her siblings. She would miss Cid and Ming and her matron, but she knew she would see them again._

_Now she isn't so sure anymore. _

_The woman yells to her and the man pinches her arms. They didn't love her like her former family did. _

_She wants to go home, back to the orphanage. _

_But she knows she can't. How can she go back while she doesn't even know where she is right now?_

"_We're here," the man said with a gruff voice._

_Quistis wanted to ask where here is but she is afraid the man will hurt her again. _

_She steps out of the van and she is surprised to smell the salty air of the ocean. For a small moment her hearts speeds up, thinking they have brought her back._

_But they hadn't._

"_The boat is ready," some stranger said._

_And__before__she__knows__it__she__is__put__on__a__tiny__boat__with__this__stranger__and_him _and_her _and__they__sail__into__the__night._

The ocean disappears and is replaces by white snow.

_As __usual __Selphie __had __outdone __herself. __After __two __years __of __intensive __building, __Trabia __Garden __had __been __fixed __again. __This __had __to __be __celebrated __and __who __better __to __ask __then __the __head __of __Garden __Festival __Committee,_ _Selphie __Tilmitt._

_Selphie had been talking about this party for weeks and Quistis couldn't help but also be excited for this party._

_She was waiting for her date. Not many people new about their relationship. At first they wanted to keep their relation a secret, but after a few months they didn't care if people found out or not. Surprisingly most people still hadn't found out, but they will tonight._

_It was no surprise he kept her waiting, it would be quite shocking if he would be on time, but the cold wind was making her shiver._

_A coat was placed over her shoulders and she knew her date had arrived._

"_Sorry I am late," he apologized._

_One look in his green eyes made her forgive him already, so instead she grabs his hand and leads him towards Trabia Garden._

_Snow started to fall from the sky's, the fairy's Selphie used to call them. She hoped the fairies would make this a party to remember._

_The walked through the ballroom and she could feel the gazes directed to them. Neither of them paid much attention to them. They were together with friends enjoying the party. Seifer grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. _

_They danced throughout the night._

The picture faded to dark and it stayed that way.

_It was a clouded night, the sky was void of any stars. Quistis knew it was a full moon but she couldn't see it. She stumbled on the sand. She can't remember how she got there but she knew she has to go on. _

_A light in the dark, she knows it will guide her somewhere. She follows the light._

_A huge building, Balamb Garden, her new home._

_She was welcomed with open arms._

"_What happened to you?" The kind old man said._

"_I don't know," she said with a timid voice._

_She can't remember anything._

Balamb Garden remains the place she is, but she is in a different room at a different time.

_This had been the third day in a row she had been throwing up in the toilet. And the third day her soon-to-be-husband was nowhere in sight._

_The boys had taken Seifer to the Island Closest to Hell for his bachelor party. His bachelor party consisted of fighting, fighting, beer, steaks and more fighting. She really couldn't see the fun in that, and she had threatened multiple times if anything happened to any of them she would make sure they will regret this little party. All boys had gulped and promised her nothing would happen, they would bring there enc-non machine with them. She had relaxed slightly after that._

_On the first day she thought it were just the wedding jitters. The second day could still pas for them, but the third day? She wasn't so sure it was just the wedding jitters. It could be something else._

_She wanted to be sure before she would tell Seifer so she went to Dr. Kadowaki immediately. Within minutes Lisa came in smiling and hugged her tightly telling her she was going to have a baby._

_Quistis couldn't believe her ears, they were having a baby. A big smile was plastered on her face when she left Dr. Kadowaki's office and she ran back to their quarters. She couldn't wait for Seifer to tell him the big news. _

_Thankfully she wouldn't have to wait that long. That afternoon they returned from there trip, although none of them had made it unharmed, they all dreaded Quistis reaction but they were surprised when she kissed Seifer loudly on the lips and dragged him along to there quarters, leaving the others rooted on the spot. _

_Quistis told him to sit down and she took his hands in hers. "We are going to have a baby," she said happily._

_First he sat there shocked but after a few seconds the biggest smile formed on his lip and he lifted her up and twirls her in the air._

_She will never forget the look on his face._

Balamb Garden fades away while a new place emerges.

_She puts her last card on the table. "I win again," she declares laughingly._

_They had been playing Triple Triad for the last hour and Seifer hadn't won a game so far. _

_Sitting in front of her so relaxed he reminds her of when he was younger. She could remember all of them playing on the beach, and all of them could get along well. She wonders were it all went wrong._

_She is glad to see the old Seifer again. She could see the changes inside of him and she hopes the others could to. She could already tell they will become great friends again, just like they were at the orphanage, before any of this happened._

"_Another one?" Seifer ask while shaking his cards._

_Quistis can't help but amuse him. She really hadn't had this much fun playing Triple Triad in a long time. Seeing the determent look on his face she can tell that he will do anything to win at least one game. _

_Maybe she should go easy on him. Maybe she should let him win one game._

_Maybe._

_But not this one. _

Cards are thrown in the air and when the fall back to the earth they have turned into rain.

_Rain was dropping down on her head but she doesn't notice it. She is too busy fighting the Wendigo in front of her. The monster roars and Quistis tightens the grip on her whip._

_Why was she alone again?_

_She and Seifer were in the forest near Timber, Seifer needed some Steel Pipes to upgrade his weapon and Quistis had volunteered to go with him. They were in Timber with Rinoa and Zell for a mission, it was the first Mission for both Rinoa and Seifer since they became SeeDs. _

_The Wendigo rushes towards her and she easily dodges the attack. _

_It had been more then a year since they got back from Time Compression and Quistis had formed a close friendship with Seifer, even the others were starting to hang around with him._

_The Wendigo turns around and charges again, she moves her feet so she can strike him better but her feet slips and she falls in the mud._

_The Wendigo is still moving towards her. He is almost near her. He will tremble her. _

_Why did we fight again? What was it this time?_

_She rolls over and is just on her feet, she strikes her whip and the Wendigo screeches in pain. _

_The screech must have warned Seifer of the danger because he came running back with his gunblade in his hand. _

_In no time they had killed the Wendigo. Seifer could collect the Steel Pipes he needed and Quistis was just glad he came back for her. _

_Seeing Quistis covered in mud Seifer can't help but smile. That smile turned into a laugh. _

"_Oh shut up," she said to him. _

_He didn't, but she had the perfect way to shut him up._

_They shared there first kiss in the pouring rain. _

The trees twirl around and gone is the forest.

_A shrill baby's cry made all the pain worthwhile. _

_Seifer cut the umbilical cord and Dr. Kadowaki places the pink baby on Quistis' chest. Hot tears stream down her face and Seifer kisses them away. "She is beautiful," Quistis whispers._

"_Yes she is," Seifer strokes his daughters head with his thumb. "Just like her mother."_

_Dr. Kadowaki walks back in the room to take Quistis' daughter to clean her up. While lying in her arms Lisa makes some cooing sounds. "What is her name?" She asks the new parents._

"_Her name is Ayla Edea Almasy."_

The infirmary is replaced with the Quad.

_The Quad was redecorated to serve for its next purpose, a wedding._

_Two of her best friends were finally getting married. _

_Selphie walks in front of her and she goes down the aisle next, Rinoa's bridesmaids. They were wearing light blue dresses. _

_She sees Squall standing at the aisle, dressed in a grey suit, with Zell and Irvine standing next to him, his best mans. _

_At the first row on her left Cid, Edea, Laguna, Kiros, Ward and Ellone are seated. On her right Fury Careway and Seifer sit next to each other, there was no bad blood between them anymore._

_Holding Rinoa's bouquet she catches Seifer's eyes watching her. She glances from her friends getting married to her boyfriend._

_The wedding and party after were all organized by Selphie, as usual. Rinoa and Squall were having the best day of their lives. _

_And so has see._

_After the party Seifer led her towards the balcony, he had loosens his tie and opened the first buttons of his blouse. _

_He clears his throat and Quistis waits patiently for him to say what he wants. She can see he is clearly struggling for words._

_To her surprise he drops down on one knee and asks her, "Will you marry me?"_

_A single tear falls from her eyes._

"_Yes."_

Light shines on her engagement ring, blinding her temporary. She shields her eyes with her hand. When she removes her hand she looks straight in the glaring sun.

_She heard a curse coming from her left, she turns her head and sees Zell sucking his thumb._

"_Not again!" She said while barely containing her laugh._

_The 'gang' had decided to take a break and help Edea fix the orphanage. It had been a month since the war and for the first time in a long time they could simple relax and enjoy there time together._

_So far, Zell had hit his thumb with his hammer four times, no five times now. His thumb had already turned a nice blue color but still he wouldn't stop fixing the roof. _

_Edea came back from the kitchen with a basket and a blanket yelling, "Lunch time!" To her children. _

_Zell jumped from the roof and ran after Edea towards the beach, everyone else followed behind them. _

_All of them enjoyed these picnics._

_Zell was delving in the basket. Irvine was chasing Selphie down the beach and Squall and Rinoa were walking along the shore hand in hand. Edea was watching her children with love in her eyes and a small smile on her lips._

_Quistis herself was contempt with watching over all of them. As she had always done, and like she always will. _

Her friends on the beach disappear one by one, when they are all gone four shapes are standing near the shore.

_A man with half-long brown hair. He wears a heavy armor. A sword is strapped at his side._

_A woman with short dark hair. Wearing armor over her dress. A sword strapped on her back._

_A woman with a pair of glasses on her nose. She wears a yellow dress. A staff is clenched in her hands. _

_A woman with a pair of blue-purple eyes. She wears the colors of her former nation, ocean blue. She leans on her staff looking to the ocean._

_They wander around a world that is not theirs._

_Four immortals come across a mortal. A child. A girl with blond hair and brilliant blue eyes with a purple swirl. _

_A Blue Mage._

_Suddenly the child screams. A sword has been plunged through her back and it comes out of her stomach. The child looks at the sword and tears fall from her beautiful eyes. A last plead for her mother. _

"NO."

_The child's mother comes running, she is wearing a peach skirt and top. But, she is too late. Her child is dead. Anger and sadness clouds her eyes. She grabs her whip and strikes._

_The attacker is too strong and too fast. Bleed is seeping from too many wounds. The sand has turned red. The mother crawls towards her child. Her hand is trying to reach the hand of her child. A finger touches her daughters hand before her hand falls limp._

"NO!"

Quistis screams and she is transported back to another memory, short flashes of memories.

_Her wedding day._

_Her own SeeD graduation party._

_Her baby's first steps._

_Fighting against Seifer._

_Building sandcastles on the beach._

_Making love to Seifer._

_Her first mission as a SeeD._

_Playing Triple Triad with Xu, rising to the top of the CC-Club._

_Her child's birthday parties. _

_All her friends and family. All her loved ones flash before her eyes_

Dark.

_She is running, falling. She is hurt but still running. _

_All she can see is dark. _

_Running._

_A stone circle. Eight pillars stand in a perfect circle, with eight stones perched on top of these pillars horizontally, creating an archway. _

_Monsters attack, she defends. _

_Her blue eyes turn to purple. Her blond hair turns a soft shade of blue._

_A blinding white light engulfs the stone circle._

_She is in a different place but it is till dark._

Dark.

She wakes up from a dream, at least that is how she feels it, but she knows she is still not awake.

Memories.

But not everything she saw was a memory.

She hears a soft sound in the darkness.

She follows the voices, her only _guide_ in this dark place and she is surprised to see a familiar face in this place.

"Ellone?"

* * *

><p>"Ellone?"<p>

"Quisty!"

Ellone runs towards her sister. "Are you alright?"

"Are you really here?"

"Yes I am."

Ellone holds Quistis in her arms and Quistis hugs her back tightly.

They don't know how long they were standing like that but slowly the sun was rising in the horizon.

"Do you know were we are?"

"I think we are in the dream world Quisty," Ellone answered.

"How is that possible?"

"I don't know."

Looking to her surroundings Ellone is shocked to see they are in the Guardian's cave, this is the cave were she was suppose to give up her powers, but she was whisked away by Ultimecia before she had the chance to do so.

"What is wrong with me?" Quistis too looks around the cave and she stands next to the altar in the middle of the room, watching at the handprint that was imbedded in the stone. She places her hand on the print but nothing happens.

"We don't know, you are in some kind of coma." Ellone can see the desperate look in Quistis' eyes. "Don't worry, we will get you back, I promise."

The entire cave starts to shake and both women are barely able to keep standing on their feet.

"I know you will," Quistis turns around and places her hands on both of Ellone's shoulder. "But you need to get back."

Ellone's eyes widen when Quistis pushes her away.

"Now."

After Quistis pushed her away she could feel she was returning to the world of the living, she was waking up. Before she was entirely awake she felt she was pulled back in another dream.

She was back in Uhra again.

But Seth was nowhere in sight. Ellone starts to wander through the palace**.** She doesn't know when _She_ did appear but suddenly she wasn't walking alone anymore.

It wasn't Seth who was walking with her but it was the same woman she saw ten years ago in the time compressed world, she was the one who helped bring them back to their own world after Ellone sacrificed her powers to this silver haired woman.

They had made it to the throne room and the woman sat down on the throne.

Her voice echoes through the empty room,

'_Past, present and future, three generations of Blue Mages. When one is hurt the others will heal her.' _

One moment she sat on the throne room and the next she is standing next to Ellone again.

'_Bring them together.'_

The woman presses a kiss to her temple and her world turns dark.

* * *

><p>Seifer woke up from the shrill ringing of a machine. He opens his eyes slowly and he sees Quistis trembling form. She is shaking in her bed, like she is having a seizure. Seifer jumps from his chair and runs to his wife. He holds her shoulders tightly, trying to stop her shakings but it doesn't help.<p>

Before he could shout for Dr. Kadowaki she already ran into the room, shouting orders to the nurse who followed in behind her. The nurse came back with the requested drug and she pushed the needle in Quistis' vain.

Within seconds Quistis lay down back quietly, like nothing had happened.

"What happened?" Seifer asked the doctor.

Relieved, Dr. Kadowaki releases her breath. Looking into Seifer's haunted eyes she gently lead him out of the room. "Go get something to eat, I will tell you when I know more."

Seifer wasn't going to let Dr. Kadowaki push him out of his wife's room, but after the dead glare she sent him he decided to do what she told him, at least for now.

In the canteen he was eating some soup while staring at the white walls. He had such a good dream before,

_Quistis was dancing on the beach with her daughter in her arms. Both of them were laughing. The moon shone upon them, they are glowing in the soft blue light. He had joined them and all three of them were dancing. Seifer placed kissed on both of there temples and Quistis had kissed him back on the lips._

and as suddenly his dream was shattered with a shrill noise. He had silent hoped that Quistis was finally waking up, but his hope has failed him once again.

His eyes had catch a stain on the wall. He wondered what it could have been.

He was staring so intently at the stain on the wall that he didn't notice the chair scraping on the floor and the cup of coffee that was placed before him.

"Nothing has changed," Dr. Kadowaki told Seifer. She takes a sip from her own coffee before continuing. "I think she was having a dream, or a nightmare according to how she reacted. Her brain activity spiked enormous this morning. We will have to wait until Dr. Odine is back. He will know what it was."

Seifer ate the last of his soup and stood up with to coffee in his hand to get back to his wife.

Dr. Kadowaki grabbed his arm and stopped him, "Don't you dare lose hope, she _will _come back to us."

_Hope. _That word echoed through his head. He had never lost hope before and he wouldn't lose it now, but the fact remained the hope was slipping through his fingers like water. Everyday without Quistis was a day not worth living. And he wasn't the only one suffering from her absent, their daughter, their friends and family, everyone was suffering.

No, he wouldn't lose hope. If there was one thing his wife had thought him it was to never lose hope.

'_Help __wil l__come __to __those __who __are __in __need,__' _an angelic voice whispered to him_,__ '__have __faith.__'_

With these words spiraling through his mind he sat at Quistis' bedside again. Her still cold hands held tightly in his.

"Help is on the way."

* * *

><p>Ellone opens her eyes slowly to see Rinoa's dark eyes looking at her worriedly.<p>

"Are you okay? We couldn't wake you up."

Ellone jumps from the bed and straightens her clothes. "I had contact with Quistis," she said while walking out of the room.

Rinoa follows her but she is clearly confused.

They walk past Edea, Ellone stops to ask, "Where is Ming?"

"I am here," the former queen said. While Sarah is looking questionably to her daughter.

Ellone signals all of them to follow her and when everyone is seated Ellone starts to explain.

"I saw Quistis in the _dream __world. _I know how we can bring her back."

* * *

><p>AN; I'm happy with how this chapter turned out. I'm particularly happy with the dream Quistis' having. I had so much fun writing that part that!  
>I really would like to know what you thought about this chapter, so could you please leave a review? Just a few words is enough to make me happy:)<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

He was scared, no he was terrified.

The Weapon was slowly approaching him. He knows the monster could kill him with one strike, but he hadn't done so yet.

He was hurt badly, he thinks he has broken his right ankle but he can't be sure. His ankle isn't his only wound, but it's definitely the worst.

Slowly he stumbles towards the entrance, trying to use his right leg as less as possible.

He doesn't even know how his friends are doing, or if they are even alive, but Cody Ryan knows one thing, he has to try to warn someone.

On and on he goes but he is going too slowly. He can hear the heavy footsteps of the Weapon behind him. The tunnel he is walking, stumbling, through is too small for the Weapon, but Cody doesn't doubt that the Weapon is destroying it in its wake. If Cody isn't fast enough he will be buried alive under the ruble. _Not __that __I __will __life __longer __if __I __get __out __of __this __tunnel. _He pushes that thought to the back of his mind, it is no use thinking about that now. He needs all the strength he has to get to the entrance of the cave.

If he wants to send a message back to Esthar he has to get out of these tunnels first, his radio is broken and the only other radio available to him is in their truck.

His thoughts wander off to his grandfather. He remembers one story his grandfather told him specifically. It was the story of how Kaim met his grandfather. His grandfather was a member of the rebellion, the rebellion against Adel. Kaim had stood his ground single handedly against thousands of Adel's men. He knew he was fighting a loosing battle so he fled to warn the rebellion.

And that is where his grandfather and Kaim met and they became good friends over they years while they fought side by side.

Cody thinks it is ironical he is in almost the same position as Kaim was then. But instead of running away from human beings he was fleeing from a monster and he wasn't trying to warn the rebellion but he will try to reach someone in Esthar.

He is exhausted and his ankle is hurting more with each step but he still continues on.

The light is a welcome sight for Cody, he knows he is almost outside.

When he is outside he is temporally blinded by the bright sunlight but he makes his way to the car as soon as he can. He opens the door and pulls himself in the car. He leans back in the seat and grabs the radio.

He had been thinking about whom he should try to radio and he decides to call Laguna. Kaim is Laguna's father and Cody is sure Laguna will answer him immediately, he will want to know what his father is searching for here.

He did make contact with Esthar, but Kiros told him Laguna was on his way towards him. Cody told him about the Weapon that was rampaging in the cave. Kiros promised to inform Laguna and told him to get out of there.

Cody wants to leave this place as soon as possible, but he doesn't want to leave his comrades behind. He knows there is nothing he can do for his friends and his hand moves to start the engine of the car but he stops midway. He realizes something is missing.

_He isn't following me anymore!_

The Weapon was no longer following him anymore, the loud footsteps from before are gone, he doesn't hear anything besides his own breathing. It is like the Weapon hasn't been following him all along. Cody wonders how long ago the monster had stopped following him, and why.

_Are Kaim and Seth fighting again?_

He hopes so with all his heart. That would at least mean they are still alive. He wants to check on them but he knows going back inside is suicide.

So Cody Ryan decides to wait for the reinforcement. Even if he can't fight, he is convinced he can still help them, some way or the other.

* * *

><p>Selphie curses under her breath.<p>

Xu send her to the Ragnarok to get the ship ready for departure, but getting to the ship was harder then it sounded.

The path to the Ragnarok was slippery from all the water. The rain was pouring down from the sky and hitting her face quite hard, she couldn't see her hand which she has placed for her eyes to stop the rain from getting in her eyes. Thankfully the large red bulky form of the Ragnarok was hard to miss.

She was glad she was inside, she shakes her head and runs to the cockpit, a trail of wet footprints following in her wake.

While Selphie was starting the engine she could hear Irvine and Rajin ushering the scientist inside. There was no time for them to leave on the boat, they had either to wait or go with the Ragnarok. Most of the White SeeD had opted to stay, there were still a lot of computers to search through, but Xu had ordered everyone to get their belongings and go. She promised she will bring them back herself if they would just hurry up.

Nero Zwart was the first to gather his stuff and helped the others with theirs.

Fujin walked into the cockpit and asked her if she needed any, "Help?"

"No," Selphie said.

She hadn't notice Fujin leaving but she came back with a blanket and placed it on her shoulders, "Thanks." She hadn't even notice that she was shivering.

Fujin decided to wait in the cockpit with Selphie, in case she was needed.

The first flashes of thunder illuminated the sky and Selphie was glad that Xu, Irvine and Rajin entered the cockpit and told her all of them were inside.

Xu slipped into the co-pilot seat and Selphie wasted no time in leaving.

It was a rough take off but Selphie handled it fairly well.

They flew for over an hour in the storm but gradually the storm shrank down, it wasn't pouring anymore and they couldn't feel the wind slamming the Ragnarok anymore. Even further they rain stopped and the dark clouds were disappearing. Selphie could even see the first spot of blue sky.

Relying on the auto-pilot for the rest of the ride she jumped out of the chair and stretched her legs.

Fujin and Rajin were going to grab them some food and Xu told them she was going to check on the White SeeDs, leaving Irvine and Selphie alone for a moment.

Irvine opened his arms and Selphie ran into his embrace. They stood there for a moment just holding each other. They had gone through so much the last two week and they barely had time to be alone with each other.

Selphie wanted to ask if her lover was okay but she knew the question was unnecessary, neither of them were okay and she knew it. They would be okay again if this whole mess was over, but nobody could tell how long that would take.

Placing a finger under Selphie's chin Irvine softly lifts her head up and places a soft kiss on her mouth. "Everything will be okay, you will see. We will get through this, all of us."

Selphie nods her head, she hopes Irvine is right. And if he is not, Selphie doesn't want to think about that. Selphie presses her mouth against Irvine's again and she deepens the kiss.

"Get a room."

Selphie breaks the kiss and grins sheepishly to Rajin and Fujin.

"What? You didn't like the show. Then we should try better Selph." Irvine pulls Selphie closer to his chest and he lowers his head to kiss her again. With a grin his stops when Rajin starts to scream and puts his hands before his eyes.

"You hungry?" Fujin asks when Selphie has pushed Irvine away playfully.

"Yes I am starving."

After finishing her last sandwich Xu came back announcing the scientists were fine, but complaining, as usual, especial '_complaining__glassy__blond_', whose name Xu forgot, was a pain in the butt accordingly to Xu. Fujin and Rajin had agreed with her immediately.

Selphie checked her watch and knew they would be approaching Esthar soon. She returns to her spot in the pilot chair and she saw the skyline of Esthar approaching gradually.

"Buckle in everyone," Irvine said, fake scared, and he jumped in the chair next to Selphie.

"Don't be so mean, you know my landings have improved a lot," Selphie said but she still notices that everyone was hurrying to put their seatbelts on. Selphie shakes her head in disbelief and she wanted to land the Ragnarok when they received a message.

"_Ragnorok, do you read me, this is Kiros."_

Xu was already seated near the communication station and she answered his call, "We read you. What is wrong?"

"_Xu, __I __am __sending __you __some __coordinates, __Squall __has __requested __your __help_."

"What kind of help does he need?"

"_It __appears __we __have __a __Weapon __on __the __loose.__"_

Xu understood and she signaled Selphie to bring the Ragnarok down. "We will drop the White SeeDs and be on our way." Xu said to both Kiros and Irvine.

Irvine nodded his head in understanding and went down, letting the White SeeD know they were to leave as soon as possible, they were having a new mission.

Selphie had landed the Ragnarok and was waiting patiently. She wonders about the Weapon that was on the loose. Last time they had fought a Weapon it took a combined effort of the six of them to take that one down, she hopes this one is not as strong as the Omega Weapon.

But that does raise the question about how the Weapon can be here in the first place.

"_Seth and Kaim are MIA, I received a call from Private Cody Ryan, he didn't know if they were dead or alive."_

"I thought they were Immortal?" Fujin said. Kiros had heard her and answered.

"_I asked Sarah and Ming, since they have been back in this world they aren't sure if they are still immortal or not. But that doesn't matter, if they are buried alive they could be better dead."_

Irvine rushed back in the cockpit with Nero Zwart on his tail. "We are ready," he said and Selphie takes the Ragnarok back in the air again.

"_I'll call Squall and let him know you are on your way. Squall, Zell, Laguna and Ward took a truck so you will probably beat them there. Good luck and Hyne helps us all."_

Selphie could imagine how Kiros must be feeling, he is left in Esthar _babysitting_ the city while the rest of them are fighting against a Weapon.

"Thanks Kiros. Xu out." Xu turns around and locks eye with every single one of them. "I hope you brought your weapons. We are going to need them."

* * *

><p>She could still feel the impact of the Meteor's hitting the earth. Her ears are still ringing from the impact.<p>

When she opened her eyes she couldn't see the monster anymore, she wondered were he went. There are not a lot of places for him to hide. She looks around and she hopes that Cody is still alive somewhere but she doubts it, _he __is __a __mortal __after __all. _She doesn't allow herself to grieve, there is time for it later, first she needs to find Kaim.

She looks for him in the surrounding area but she doesn't see anything. Frustrated she kicks a stone and kneels down. She need some time to think.

A cough made her turn her head and she saw Kaim emerging from the earth a few meters away from where she was kneeling. She rushes up to him and helps him to his feet. She can see he has a nasty gut on his head, but that wasn't something that wouldn't heal.

"Where is the monster?" Kaim stands steady on his feet within seconds, "and where is Cody."

"I don't know. When I woke up both of them were gone."

Seth takes a good look around and she notice they aren't in the same cave anymore. She remembers vaguely that they had been running away from the monster and they had walked into a different tunnel then the one they had used to get into this cave. So they must have run deeper into the cave, _that__'__s __not __good. _The tunnel at her back had collapsed completely.

"We are in another room then before," Kaim came to the same conclusion as Seth had.

"We are, but how are we getting back. We can't go out the same way we came in."

Kaim walked away to check they room they were in and Seth checked the opposite way. They didn't find another exit out of this room. "We're trapped."

She had been trapped before, chained against a rock so she couldn't move a muscle. The only companion she had was a lamp which had died down and left her in total darkness. Aneira had saved her then, but who would save her now?

The ringing in her ear had stopped but now she could hear a heavy stamping sound. She tried to get rid of this sound in her ears but it didn't stop. In fact is seemed to grow louder with every stamp. "Do you hear that too?" She asks Kaim.

Kaim had been listening to that same sound and nods his head, "He is coming back."

She didn't need to ask who was coming back, she grabbed her sword and she felt slightly better to feel her faithful sword in her hands. She can see Kaim do the same and together they will have to wait until the monster is going to finish its job.

Rocks start to fall from the ceiling and Seth covers her head with her arms, there is no place where they can hide for the falling rocks. Both of them press themselves against the walls, hoping that the rocks will bounce from the walls and not fall on their heads.

Finally the Weapon had smashed through the rocks and they were in the same room again.

Seth could see the Weapon was wounded, but nowhere as bad as compared to herself and Kaim. She knows they can fight forever, but being buried here forever is a long time. She knows they will have to get out of here and the monster had created the path for them.

Seth pointed to the newly open road and Kaim understood. Quietly Seth counted, "One. Two. Three."

On three they start to run. The Weapon was standing precisely before the entrance so they had to run right under him.

Luck was on their side, the Weapon didn't notice them running away at first. They had already a head start before he did notice his pray slipping through his legs.

They kept running but the road was not even, they had to climb over a lot of loose rocks, which slowed down their escape.

They reached the room with the open ceiling and they knew they had to make a final stand here. As if on cue both of them turned around just in time to block the Weapon's fist.

They were slowly backing away while blocking the monster's every attack. There were enough close calls were both of them almost stumbled over a rock. A step and a block at a time they did finally reach the exit.

Seth saw the car still waiting and she was surprised to see Cody sitting in the car.

She could see the relief wash over his face and Kaim yelled to him to, "Get back!"

Cody started the engine and he speeds towards them instead of the other way around.

"Fool," Kaim whispered under his breath. "You brave fool."

Performing a handbrake turn the car stops right next to Kaim and Seth and both of them jump in the car. Seth hadn't closed the door when Cody already sped away. Away from the monster still following them. Telling them that Laguna and Squall are coming and that the Ragnarok is here soon.

But the monster is moving faster then they are. Cody tries his hardest to keep ahead of the Weapon but there is nothing he can do to make the car drive faster.

Seth wanted to yell at him to stop the car and let them out. They could stop the Weapon, at least they could slow it down until the reinforcement comes. She had heard story's about the airship they had, the red dragon, and what it did to the Lunatic Pandora. It surely should be able to shoot this Weapon down.

But the feeling inside of her tell her that if they stop now things will turn out much worse, and worse is something Seth doesn't want to live through. So she keeps quiet and hopes they others will come.

Because if they don't, Seth glances back to see the Weapons feet shatter a rock, they will have to dig themselves out.

* * *

><p>The truck was bumping on the road, even with Zell behind the wheels the ride was agonizing. Despite what people say and think of him, Zell is a good driver, therefor they were making good progress.<p>

Halfway through their drive Kiros had contacted and told them that the Ragnarok was coming their way. Selphie had dropped of all the White SeeDs and flew straight towards the Estharian border where the cave is. The Ragnarok was of course much faster but they were already well on their way when they still flew over Esthar, and it would be a close call who would be their sooner.

Squall did feel a bit better after he heard that news. With the Ragnarok they had a better chance to stop the Weapon.

He still didn't understand how a Weapon could be running free without anybody knowing. He didn't believe in the story about the birth of a Blue Mage bringing a Weapon into this world too. That would mean that this Weapon had been hiding here for over five years, and why didn't it attack before? Al these questions were flying through his head but he hadn't had time to answer any of them. They were heading towards a fight, a fight in which any of them could lose their lives.

Laguna and Ward were adamant on helping them, but in Squall's eyes they wouldn't be much help in a battle. Of course they could still fight, but they were already in their fifty's and had lost much of their stamina and strength and they hadn't fought against such a strong enemy in over a decade. But he was glad for their presence, despite Laguna's reputation he is a formidable strategist. Ward can't speak but his action speak for him, he wasn't as bulky as he once was but he can still throw his anchor with such precise that Squall didn't doubt he would still be able to hit his mark with his eyes close, but nobody saw that, all they saw was a mute.

_Why do people underestimate them?_

Zell, Laguna, Ward, but also his other relatives.

If people saw Selphie they only see her bubbling and childish attitude and they think she is only around to organize the festivals in Garden. People tend to forget she is a great warrior, Selphie fought alongside him against Ultimecia her _Full-Cure_ had saved all of them more then once. She wanted to make everybody happy while she had gone through rough things during her whole life.

Irvine the lady's men. Rumor was that he had slept with every girl in Balamb Garden and most people believe that. People remember him about his flirts and about his failure. Years ago he couldn't assassinate the Sorceress Edea, he had choked and confessed to Squall his fears.

But Squall knows the only girl he has ever been with is Selphie and he couldn't shoot the Sorceress then, because he was the only one to remember Edea as their Matron and didn't see her as their enemy. Squall envied him that he remembered her while he didn't.

Zell's love for hotdogs. There is nothing more to say about him. They say if you ever face him in battle, give him a hotdog and run away. They are right to run, Zell is the best Martial Artist in the world, if Squall himself wasn't the best Gunbladist he himself would have run. But Squall couldn't have a more loyal friend than him.

Laguna with his leg crams and his childish attitude. He too hadn't thought any good about him at first, but he was his father and they had grown a strong band over the years. His father had fought in two wars and still rules over Esthar, he is the president of Esthar for over three decades. With Ward and Kiros by his side.

_Damn, this drive makes me think too much. I need to focus on the upcoming battle._

But in the upcoming battle he would miss too many of his friends in the fight.

Quistis the prodigy child. People nicknamed her the Ice Queen, but Squall knows no one who is more passionate and protective of her family then Quistis, maybe Rinoa is but both of them aren't here to back him up.

In al these years either Rinoa or Quistis had fought alongside of him. He had relied on them for so many years, to have his back that he did feel a bit abandoned, but on the other hand he is glad his wife is far away from this upcoming battle.

His wife and Seifer were probably the most underestimate of all of them. People saw Rinoa as a spoiled princess, the General's daughter who was rebelling to despite her father. Squall has to admit she did act that way when they first met, but she had changed along the way. She got stronger, both mentally and physically. Slowly her warmth filled their hearts and he didn't know how much he relied on her present until she was possessed by Sorceress Ultimecia. He loves her with al his heart and he will be her knight for as long as he lives.

The other Knight, the traitor. Not only the people outside the Garden but inside too still see him as a traitor. They forget that he helped them destroy an even bigger threat than they first thought. All they remember of him is his television appearance in Timber and him standing next to the evil Sorceress during the parade in Deling. Over the years Squall had seen his friend change from friend to bully to enemy to ally and friend again. He would miss his gunblade in the next fight.

Kiros, well about Kiros there was not much to say. _Well,__it__seems__that__nobody__underestimates__Kiros._That made him smile a bit. Laguna should be happy that he has a close friend like him.

"Look!"

Zell's shout brought him back to the world and the fight they were about to get into.

He could see a car speeding towards them, closely followed by the Weapon.

The Weapon was an almost replica of Ultima Weapon but he was more muscular. Squall grabbed the scanning device and pointed it to the Weapon. _Stigma __Weapon_, it seems he doesn't have any weaknesses and he is magic resistant. "We will have to rely on our weapons," Squall announces.

It took all six of them to destroy Omega Weapon and if this one is even stronger then him, _Hyne __help __us __all._

Zell stops the car and turns around when he saw the Ragnarok flying over them. The red dragon pointed its weapon's towards Stigma Weapon and all Squall heard was a large explosion while two cars were driving next to each other, getting as much distance between them and the explosions.

* * *

><p>After the sand and dust faded he could see the large gaping hole in the Weapons chest. <em>What <em>_was __its __name __again? __Stigma?_

The Ragnarok was still in the air but Xu informed Squall they were out of weapons and he told Selphie to land the Ragnarok a few miles back. Squall didn't want the Ragnarok anywhere near the fight if he couldn't use its canon's anymore. Zell and Ward took the two cars and were underway to pick them up.

Standing next to his son and grandson he couldn't be more proud then he is right now. It seems that his family is always drawn to trouble somehow. In his entire life there were always short times of happiness but they were always ruined, if not by war then by the forces of nature. He had lost many wives and children along the years and some hurt more then others. He can still remember Lirum clearly, his and Sarah's daughter. He know he would lose her, he is immortal and his children aren't, but he never suspected to lose her so soon. He had thought she was dead for a long time before he found her again. But their reunion was short, she was dying. She made him promise to take care of her children, Cooke and Mack, he had been with them for their entire lives, fought with them, laughed with them, cried with them, but they too had died in the end. _And __so __will __those __two. _He will life while they die, that is the curse of an Immortal.

_Someday I must die too._

He thought that day could be approaching fast. He had thought about the fight back in the cave, he had gotten himself a few wounds, nothing bad, which should have healed almost right away, but they hadn't. He still had a gash above his right eye and his right shoulder was feeling stiff and bruised.

He had the feeling he was losing his immortality. When he spoke with Seth about this she had shared his feeling. But they couldn't waste their time about that fact, immortal or not they still had an enemy to defeat.

An enemy that was slowly rising to his feet again.

"What is your plan," Kaim asks his grandson. Even if he is much older and had participated in more battles then anybody can count, his grandson is still the leader of the SeeDs. He will give advice if necessary but he will not give out orders.

Squall glances towards him and back to Stigma Weapon before he begins, "You, Seth, Zell, Rajin and myself will be fighting in close range. We will attack his feat and try to distract him. Laguna, Irvine, Xu, Fujin and Ward are our long distance fighters." Squall points to the places where he wants them, two hillside's east and west, that way they could attack from two sides. "They will have to take his eyes out. Without sight we will have a much better change at destroying Stigma."

Kaim agrees with his grandson. Although fighting at such a close distance will be dangerous.

"Selphie and Nero Zwart will be our healers and if they have a chance to hit him they should strike."

He didn't know this Nero Zwart but he is glad that Selphie is going to be their healer. She always has been a strong magic caster and with the new junctions system it seems her magic had grown even stronger. "It's a good plan. It will work."

Kaim hears the cars returning and so does Squall. He walks to where Cody and Seth are seated and soon the others join him there while he explains the plan to him. Leaving Kaim watching Stigma Weapon with his son next to him. "You should send Cody back."

"I should," Laguna said never leaving his eyes from Stigma "But I don't think he wants to go back. He wants to fight alongside you."

It always had been a dream of the young man to fight along side the man his grandfather had fought next to in the first Sorceresses War. "He still should go back. He is hurt and will only be in our way."

"Then go tell him that. I won't order him to go back. Even if he is hurt he can still help. You know that."

He does know that, but he had promised his friends years ago that he would watch over his family and Cody is the last of that family left. Before he had the chance to talk to him Stigma Weapon finally rose to both his feet.

"This is it." His son yells to the group behind them, "move out!"

They rounded Stigma and when all of them are in their places Squall screams and the battle begins.

Kaim and Seth were the first to swirl their swords and leave small cuts in Stigma's leg. His arms were trying to grab them but Squall and Zell were attacking the arms while Rajin struck his pole in its unprotected belly. They attacked and they backed away, out of the monsters reach.

Kaim could hear the bullet's swizzle over his head. They had hit his head multiple times but his eye didn't sustain any damage. After the bullets Ward's Anchor and Fujin's Chakram fly through the air. Fujin's Chakram scratch the left side of his face and flew back in her hand, but Wards Anchor has nested itself in Stigma Weapon's left eye.

Stigma Weapon screeched angrily. He pulled the Anchor out of his eye with still a piece of his eye attached to the Anchor and threw it back to Ward. Ward sidestepped and his own weapon missed him, only by a few inches. Kaim didn't have time to see Ward cleansing his Anchor because they were already running back for the second wave.

Their strategy worked. They had already blinded his left eye and soon he wouldn't be able to see anything through his right eye too.

The fighting went on for almost an hour. Strike and retreat. His sword was red from the blood and so was everybody else's weapons. Zell wiped the blood from his hand but his gloves where already red, covered in dried up blood. "Why won't it die?" The blond martial artist said while catching his breath for the next round of attacks.

After three more rounds of _strike __and __retreat_ everyone was tired but they still fought on.

Two more rounds and Kaim yelled for everyone to stop. They all looked at the damage they did to Stigma Weapon.

His legs and arms were covered in scratched, some of them almost cut to the muscles. His left eye was useless and he couldn't see much to his right eye, it had swollen immensely because of the bullets. Its biggest wound was with no doubt the one on his chest, the one the Ragnarok had caused. But the fire of the explosion had scorch the wounds close, they had to see to get that wound open again, but so far they weren't able to make that happen.

"We need to concentrate our attacks on his chest," Squall shouted to Cody, who rushed towards their long distance fighters and passed the orders on.

"Kaim and myself will take care of its leg," Seth leans on her sword, she is tired but her smile wont leave her face. She loves to fight, plus she has never lost before and she wasn't about to now. "You take care of things topside," she said laughingly and she rushed towards the enemy. Kaim shrugs his shoulders and follows her.

Even tough it wasn't bleeding, the gaping hole in Stigma's chest was slowing him down.

Kaim and Seth were easily slashing away at Stigma Weapon's legs while Squall and Nero were busy with the arms. Everyone else was focusing on its chest.

Stigma tried everything he could to hit them but he couldn't reach them. Everyone was working in sync and the Weapon was slowly losing and he knew that. So he did the only thing he could.

Kaim and Seth stopped at the same time and they knew what was about to happen.

"Get back!" They shouted at the same time. While they ran back to the cars.

Everyone heard the urgency in their voice and they went back immediately. The fighters on the hilltop saw them running and Squall gestured them to get back.

Kaim stopped running and Seth did too.

"I know what to do." Kaim said showing Seth the small object in the palm of his hand.

"No Kaim, you can't do that." Seth said with tears in her eyes "It's much worse than being dead."

They would all die if he didn't do it. "Get them out of here Seth."

He could see Seth struggle with what she should do. She should help him, she should help them, she should stop him. She should, she should...

"Now." Kaim said and pushes her away, in the direction of the cars. "Get to the Ragnarok and get as far away as possible."

Seth hugs him tightly and he could feel her tears on his cheeks. "I will tell Sarah you love her," she knew him better then he thought. He had wanted to ask her to bring a message to his wife. To asks Seth to explain everything to his son and grandson. "I'll tell," she said softly and releases him.

She ran back to the others and started shouting orders. He could see the confused looks on their faces, especially Laguna's and Squall's, he gave them a SeeD salute and walked towards the monster who was still gathering energy for its attack.

He knew what he was getting into but he wasn't afraid. He had his mind set and nothing could change his mind. He would save this world, for the last time.

He walks calmly, the wind is blowing around the monster, lifting the sand in the air. He starts jogging, the wind is blowing the sand in his eyes and he has to shield his eyes with his hand. He hears the monster roar and he starts running, his sword in his hand.

He runs through the wind and the sand. He jumps on Stigma's leg. He climbs to its arms and the Weapon doesn't even notice the tiny human climbing on his back. At the base of its neck he swirls his sword and shoves it through the back of its head. _That __was __the __easy __part._The sword is locked in the monsters head and he climbs down to Stigma's chest. Stigma Weapon had finally notice the small human crawling on him when he felt the sting of Kaim's sword in its head. Stigma tries to pull Kaim off of him but Kaim is moving to fast.

He jumps back to the ground, the sand is still flying on the wind and he feels the orb in his pocket and his fingers freeze when they touch the orb. Wasting no time he throws the orb and his aim is perfect. The orb touches the wound and ice breaks the wound open and blood seeps out of its chest.

Stigma Weapon will die, but they will have to pay a price for it. Kaim waits calmly for what is to come. This is the calmest he has ever been in his life, he has no time to wonder about it when the Stigma Weapon is vanishing before his eyes, leaving only the floating orb in the air.

The orb that had once fitted in his palm was now as large as the Ragnarok, which he could see. The red dragon was watching him for a second before it flew away at great speed. _Thank __you __Seth._

The orb flies towards him. He has lost his sword but he still has his dagger of Hynish Steel. He has one chance, he will not miss.

He pushes the dagger in the orb and his world spins before him before all he can see is

Black….

_I am coming Lirum, Cooke, Mack. I am coming home._

….White.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"I know how we can bring her back."

Eight simple words and eight words she wanted to hear so desperately for the last week.

"How?" All of them seemed to ask at the same time.

So Ellone told them all about the dream she had in the dream world.

"'_Past, __present __and __future, __three __generations __of __Blue __Mages. __When __one __is __hurt __the __others __will __heal __her. __Bring__t hem __together.__' _That is what she told me."

Ming could see where Ellone was going and she knew she was one of the persons needed to bring Quistis back.

"Ming is the past, Quistis the present and Ayla the future. I get that," Rinoa wrings her hands in her lap, "but they are already together but Quistis still hasn't woken up."

Everyone was lost in their thoughts. They knew who was needed but what do they need to do then? She had visited Quistis together with Ayla just this morning. Ayla wanted so desperately to see her mother that Ming had decided to bring her along while she went to check on her. Seifer hadn't aloud his daughter to see Quistis but this morning he even had a small smile on his face and told Ayla that 'help is on the way.' She didn't know what he meant by that and she hadn't asked.

After some time Seifer had excused himself and Ming sat down next to Quistis bed and lifted Ayla on her lap. At that time she wished she still had some of her magic left, but that thought went away when Ayla started talking to her mother about the story's everyone had told her and Ming was intend with just listening and clearing her head. Seifer had come back and took Ayla with her to get something to eat. Ming had stayed for some time before she went back to her room. She hadn't reached her room or Ellone had grabbed her and dragged her along, announcing she knew how the get Quistis back.

"We will have to bring them together somewhere else," Sarah sat on her daughter's bed with her back against the pillow. "That is were we need you Ellone."

"Me?" Ellone asked.

Ming could clearly see the confusion on her head. Ellone probably thought she was just the messenger, but it seems she still has a job to do here.

"Yes. You need to find the place where you need to bring them together. Remember _her_ words." Sarah said while lifting the glasses from her nose. "_She _told you to look deep inside of yourself, to rediscover your gifts and then you can save your friend."

For some reason Ellone was granted her powers, her gift, back. Ming had no clue as to why she got them back, Ellone along with Rinoa, Seifer, Sarah, Quistis and herself had to give their powers back in order to save the world. Beside Quistis everybody had returned their powers, before Quistis or Ellone could return their powers back to the world they ware attacked. In the end Ellone gave up her powers, and with that sacrifice they were brought back home. And now Ellone was given back her powers. _Could __this __mean __that __everyone __will __have __their __powers __return __to __them?__For __me __and __Sarah __it __was __a __gift, __but __Seifer__'__s __and __Rinoa__'__s __were __a __curse. __I __don__'__t __hope __they __will __get __them __back._

"_She_ told you to find them. If you found them you can help others and those others can help the lost one," Sarah continued. "You didn't need to look for them, they were already near you, _She_ must have known that. I think _She_ meant that you needed to look for some place where you have to bring them together and you need to search with your powers."

"Okay," Rinoa began slowly. "Let me get this straight. Ellone needs to find out how Ming and Ayla can help her, right?"

Sarah nods her head slightly and Rinoa continues.

"Ming, do you know how to get her back to this world? I am no expert on Blue Magic but I never heard of a return spell or anything. How will you get her back?"

_She __is __smart,_Ming thought while placing a hand on her arm. "I don't know. At least not yet. I don't know anything about a magic that can bring her back, but that doesn't mean there isn't one."

"And how does Ayla fit in?" Edea asked from her seat near the window. She had been quiet until this moment and Ming had wondered why. She had this look in her eyes as if she knew something they didn't. "She hasn't used her Blue Magic before, she isn't even aware of her powers yet. We can't expect from her to help with returning Quistis to us."

Ming saw which direction Edea was going and she continued for her, "And I am no good either." The others started to contradict her but she stopped them. "I don't have my Blue Magic anymore, but I can help Ayla develop her powers. Isn't that what you meant Edea?"

"We need to train her, but I am afraid that she is too young to master such powers. Remember how Quistis reacted the first time she found out she was a Blue Mage."

That was something Ming wouldn't forget.

_She had just turned six last weak. Ming had come to visit her on her birthday and after some pleading from the children she had decided to stay for some time._

_She wasn't intending to stay, they were still after her and if they found out about Quistis, she didn't want to think about that, but after seeing those pleading faces she couldn't resist. _

_Today she __was __happy __that __she __had __stayed. __Quistis __had __for __the __first __time __in __her __life __experienced __the __power __of __her __Blue __Magic. __It __had __happened __this __morning __on __the __beach; __they __were __playing __when __a __Fastitocalon-F __attacked __the __children. __Ming __and __Edea __had __been __in __the __house __making __lunch __when __they __heard __the __screams __coming __from __the __beach. __Selphie __was __running __towards __them __with __Zell __hot __on __her __heels, __both __of __them __had __tears __in __their __eyes. __Edea __had __scooped __them __up __and __comforted __them __while __Ming __ran __further._

_At the beach she saw the yellow fish lying on its back. Irvine, Squall and Seifer were approaching the monster carefully, checking if it was dead. Ming had yelled to them to get away from it and for once all three of them listened to her immediately and walked back to the house. Squall however was looking around and Ming knew he was looking for Ellone, his sister. "Squall get back, I will bring her along," she had said and Squall lingered around for some time before running after Irvine back to his Matron._

_Ellone was sitting next to Quistis who was crying softly. "I don't know what is wrong with her aunt Ming." Ellone said whit her timid voice. Ming had reassured her that she will found out and that Ellone should look after the other children. When Ellone left them alone Ming lifted Quistis head gently but she had closed her eyes. "Quistis, look at me." _

_Quistis shook her head. "No," she whimpered, "they will think I am a monster."_

"_No they won't."_

"_But I killed that fish with my eyes. Only monsters can do that." _

"_Do you think I am a monster?" That did make Quistis stop sobbing and she looked up to her aunt._

"_No."_

"_You used magic, you know what magic is, right?"_

"_Uhuh. Cid told me."_

_She wasn't surprised Cid told her, Quistis always wanted to know everything and she wouldn't take no for an answers, she was so alike to her own daughter. "What you used is Blue Magic, did Cid tell you about that?"_

_Quistis was thinking but it seems that she couldn't remember anything about Blue Magic so she shook her head. _

"_You are a Blue Mage. Like your mother was before you. I too am a Blue Mage."_

_Ming explained some things about her powers, but Quistis wasn't happy with the answers. _

"_I am a monster," she had cried over and over again._

_In the end she had fallen asleep, exhausted from the day's events and she hadn't spoken about that day for a long time. Edea told the others to forget what happened that day and in the end all of them forgot, thanks to the Guardians._

"I know she is a bit younger then Quistis was but it is the only way to get Quistis back. Ayla will do anything to get her mother back, you know that."

"I do," Edea confesses while staring out of the window. "But still I don't have to like it."

_I __don__'__t __like __it __either, __but __that __doesn__'__t __mean __that __we __don__'__t __have __to __try._

Rinoa walks over to Edea and takes hold of both her hands "I know what you are afraid of. I know what that kind of powers can do to someone, but unlike Ayla, we didn't have anybody to guide us. We didn't have anybody who could help us with what we were going through, and neither had Quistis."

_They __are __all __lucky __to __have __such __a __friend __like __Rinoa, _Ming thought while Rinoa continued her story after exhaling her breath.

"Quistis was adopted before she developed her powers further. But we can all help Ayla. Ming, you and myself. We will help her anyway we can."

_She is right. With our help Ayla will be okay._

Rinoa started laughing softly while she said, "and if we would do anything to hurt Ayla, Seifer will have our heads."

After the laughter died down they still had to decide how they were going to help.

Ellone turned her head to ask her mother something but she saw her mother gripping her hand against her chest. "Mom?" Ellone walks to her mother, fear etched on her face. "What's wrong?"

Sarah walks past Ellone and she almost lost her balance. "Sarah!" Rinoa shouts while grabbing Sarah by her arms to steady her. "What's wrong?" She repeated Ellone's question but Sarah didn't answer.

Ming wanted to help her friend when she too felt a sharp pain in her chest. She can feel the eyes of Edea resting on her but she can't answer her silent question. Ming knows something is wrong, but what?

"Kaim," Sarah whispered before she lost consciousness.

* * *

><p>"Who knew he could self-destruct himself?"<p>

Nobody had the answer to that one, except Seth. "I did."

Everyone turned their heads towards her and Zell was the one to ask her, "How?"

"Years ago, even before our war against Gongora, Kaim and I fought against a Weapon similar as Stigma Weapon. We had no trouble taking him down, he wasn't as strong as Stigma was, but before we could finish him off he self-destructed himself. Kaim and I were lucky, we are immortal and we were buried deep under the sand, but the others weren't. We were the only two survivors of its attack."

Seth was walking front and fro in the cockpit and driving her crazy.

"But he was the only one, we encountered other Weapons but none of them knew the self-destruct technique."

Laguna was staring silently out of the window. She guessed he was having a hard time with losing his father. She didn't understand it; he is an immortal he will come back. She had wanted to scream that out loud but she had the feeling she was missing some point, something important.

"All of this happened a long time ago and a lot had happened, we had lost our memories and until a few minutes back I didn't remember any of this."

Selphie broke the silence when she announced that they had arrived.

She stood up to look out of the windows, she thought she could see a body lying there, but she couldn't be sure.

Seth was the first one out of the ship followed by Laguna, Squall, Ward and Zell, the last one asked her if she came along. She could either wait in the ship or see what happened outside, the decision wasn't hard to make. Even though she loves flying she likes the steady feeling of the ground under her feet better.

Outside the sand was still flying around and for once she was glad for her eye patch. She felt a familiar form following her and she is glad that Rajin decided to come along too. She always felt better when he was around.

They walk past the cars, which are totally destroyed, they had driven the cars to the Ragnarok and left them there, miles away from the explosion. But whatever happened down here had lifted the cars in the air and dropped them down back to the ground. If they hadn't gotten away in the Ragnarok they wouldn't be alive anymore.

Squall and Laguna were holding onto each other for support. Zell and Ward had dropped their heads down and Seth was sitting on the ground next to its body.

_Why are they like this? He is immortal. He can't die._

But she was wrong, as she found out when she stood next to his body. He was dead, the immortal had died. His body lay unmoving in the red-turned sand.

She had the feeling his eyes were staring at her and she moved back slightly so she didn't have to see his face.

"How can he be dead, ya know?"

Fujin wanted to kick him in the shin for asking this question at such a un appropriatedtime, but she too wanted to know how it is possible that the immortal was dead.

"He sacrificed his life to save ours," Seth said calmly while closing Kaim's eyes.

Fujin had the feeling she left something out, this couldn't be the answer, but she didn't want to ask her right now, there was time for it later. Now was the time to mourn.

She hadn't know Kaim, she only saw him just before this battle. Seifer had told her and Rajin about how they had met in the Time Compressed world, but beside that she didn't know much about him.

She did feel out of place here, the others were clearly mourning for their friend, father and grandfather. She wanted to return to the Ragnarok when her eyes catch something glistering in the sand. She walks towards it and sees the most beautiful dagger she has ever seen in her life.

"What is it?" Rajin asked.

"I don't know," Fujin said while holding the dagger up to have a closer look.

She and Rajin were so fascinated by the knife that they didn't hear Seth coming from behind them and snatch the dagger out of Fujin's hands.

"Hey!" Fujin shouted and she wants to grab the dagger back but she stops when she saw Seth's horrified face. "What is it?" Fujin asks the immortal.

"I never knew he still had this," Seth whispered, mostly to herself. She turns the dagger around and the gold etched in the handle glisten in the sun. "I have lost mine long ago."

"What is it?" Fujin repeated a bit louder this time making the others turn their heads towards them.

Seth's head snaps to Fujin as if she just notice her present here, "Its a blade from the gods. Hynish-steel. But if he used this he should be still alive, I don't get it. Why is he dead?"

Tears gather in Seth's eyes, Fujin wants to console her but she doesn't know how. She has never been good at that. _Where __are __the __others __when __you __need __them? _Fujin wondered thinking about any of the other girls who are much better at this then her. Uncomfortable Fujin places a hand on her arm and gives a squeeze. Seth appreciates the gesture and she walks back to Kaim's body. Zell and Irvine had just returned with a stretcher and were carefully bringing Kaim's body back to the Ragnarok.

Inside the Ragnarok Fujin sought out the solitude of the air lock. Years ago she and Rajin had stayed here with Seifer, far away from the others. Seifer had fought along side them but they were still wary of him, so instead to provoke them Seifer had made the wise decision to stay out of their way for some time. Together the three of them had traveled along the world with their final destination the orphanage in Cetra. It was only then, after a year, that they were finally going home. So much had changed since then, but only one thing has remained the same, the one thing most important to her, the one she needed the most.

If her ears didn't play tricks on her, he was coming to her aid right now.

* * *

><p>He hadn't heard from any of them for so long that he wanted to take the nearest airplane and fly to them to ask why they didn't contact him. Ward always used to say no news is good news but in his eyes no news <em>is<em> really bad news.

Laguna's assistant had dropped him out of his office, together they had been waiting but the assistant had been driven nuts by Kiros anxiety. When the assistant heard Kiros' stomach grumble he had locked Kiros out of the office and told him to eat something.

Reluctant he grabbed something to eat in the kitchen. He was just busy warming some soup when Seifer and Ayla entered.

Seifer nodded his head in a way of greeting and Ayla run to Kiros and latches onto his leg ,"Hello uncle Kiros."

"Hey squirt. How are you today?"

She smiled and answers, "I saw mommy."

"And how is your mother?" Although he asked Ayla he really wanted to hear the answer from her father.

"Still sleeping, but she will wake up soon. Won't she dad?"

"Yes she will baby," Seifer said while ruffling his daughters blond hair. Seifer guides his daughter to the table and placed a plate filled with toast on the table and told her to, "Eat."

"Thanks dad," Ayla started to dig in her toast, making quite a mess on the table.

Seifer sits next to her and nips at his own toast. Kiros sits down in front of them with his bowl of soup and the freshly baked bread he found.

Seifer puts down his toast and asked Kiros, "Have you seen any of the others?"

Kiros didn't need to ask who the others were. "No. I can't say I have. I have been held in the office all day."

"Anything from Squall yet?"

Kiros was surprised Seifer knew. He had thought he was so busy looking after his wife that he didn't bother with what happened around him. So he wasn't about to tell him anything yet, but Kiros is glad he is wrong about Seifer and tells him the truth. "Nothing. That is why I have been up all this time."

"Could you look after Ayla for a while. I really want to check on Quis and-"

Kiros stops him mid sentence, "Of course I can." He turns around to the little blond girl and with a childish voice he said, "We will be alright won't we?"

"I don't talk like that," Ayla screeches. "You meanie."

Seifer laughs at her last statement, it has been to long since he heard Seifer laughing so fully heartily. "You are spending _way_ too much time with your aunts and uncles."

That she did.

After Seifer stops laughing he kisses Ayla on the crown of her head. "I'll be back," he winks and walks out of the kitchen.

Ayla was waiting patiently for Kiros to finish his meal and clean Ayla's mess up. Kiros holds out his hand and Ayla grabs the outstretched hand. "Where do you want to go?"

"The library."

Ayla was so much like her mother, Quistis could spend hours in the library, browsing through all kinds of books, from history to children's stories, Quistis has reed them all.

"The library it is."

Kiros took Ayla to Laguna's private library. Unlike the large library, a.k.a. _the__archives_, under ground this one has the 'children-proof' books.

Kiros puts on the lights and Ayla runs to the large bookcases. She has been here multiple times and knows her way around here. She is searching for some book and Kiros let her do that on her own. Kiros grabs the book from the shelve he was reading in and sits down in the large brown leather sofa.

He had barely finished the first page from his book when Ayla drops a large book in his lab and looks at him with her clear blue eyes. "Read me a story? Please."

He pretends to be deciding if he should read her a story or not. Ayla's smile slowly drops and Kiros can't stand it anymore and declares laughingly, "Of course I will." He places both books on the table and lifts Ayla in his lap. He takes the book Ayla brought and he starts reading her a story about a princess, a knight in shining armor and a Ruby Dragon.

He had just finished the story and Ayla was lying against his chest, sucking her thumb slightly. She was sleeping. Quietly he changes books again and continues reading where he was left.

Two chapters later he fell asleep himself.

His pager went of. Half awake he wanted to get the pager out of his pocket but he couldn't move his arm. It took him a few seconds to realize that Ayla was lying on his chest and that was why he couldn't move his arm, staying in the same position for quite some time his arm had turned numb.

He shifts carefully, trying not to wake Ayla, and after some squirming he has the pager in his hand and reads the message. _Laguna.__Office.__Phone._

_Finally._

Adjusting Ayla's position on his chest so he can keep her in place with holding his arms under her bottom and one hand on her back, he places her arms around his neck and walks as fast as he can with a sleeping child in his arms to Laguna's office.

The assistant had unlocked the door and Kaim rushes inside. He lays Ayla down on the sofa in the corner of the room and grabs the phone from the desk.

"I better hope you have some good news."

When Laguna's voice came through the phone it was void of any emotions.

* * *

><p>The trip back to Esthar was one filled with silence. Everyone was having a hard time with the lost of a friend, a father, a grandfather, an Immortal. Even though nobody knew him that well, he wasn't an outspoken person and he kept mostly to himself, but they had fought alongside each other so many years ago and then he had returned to his own world. He hadn't seen his grandfather much in his life but he did feel the lost of it.<p>

All he wanted was to see Rinoa and hold her in her arms but he knew he couldn't just yet.

His father was barely holding on. He still is the president and he needs to take care of his people.

He had called Kiros and told him what happened. Ward stood beside his friend giving him al the support he could. But still his father was hurting inside, he could see that. Losing your father can never be easy, Squall can't imagine losing his own father. He doesn't want to think about that possibility.

They had a battle to fight and there is always a change that someone will get hurt badly and die. But the never had thought that Kaim, the Immortal, would be the one to leave this world. And this time he can't come back.

He had wanted to ask Seth how this was possible but he couldn't bring himself to harass her about those questions right now. She was troubled, Squall didn't think that she herself understood how exactly this could happen. She had a lost look in her eyes. When he was back he would asks Ming and Sarah, maybe they would now.

_Sarah._ Sarah had been Kaim's wife, is Kiros with her now telling her that her husband has died?

He needed Rinoa. Right now.

Thankfully the trip was short and in no time they had landed safely in Esthar's airport. Kiros had arranged some transport for them. He climbed in one of the cars followed by Zell, Selphie and Irvine. His friends understand his need for silence, kept quiet. He didn't want to talk to them, but he felt better with them nearby.

At the palace everybody went their own way. In the Ragnarok they had decided they would have a meeting later in the evening.

Squall took no notice where everyone was going, he went straight to his bedroom where he knew Rinoa would be waiting for him.

When he opened the door Rinoa rushes into his arms and hugs him tightly, "I am so glad that you are alright."

_Me__too._Squall thinks while he drops his head down to capture Rinoa's lips with his own.

After the kiss Rinoa leads Squall to the sofa. While she he lies down with his head in her lab. Rinoa is softly stroking Squall's brown bangs. "How is dad holding on?"

"Barely." After some silence he asks, "does Sarah knows?"

Rinoa nods her head. "She knows. It was really strange but at the same time Kaim-" Rinoa swallows, "died, Sarah and Ming both felt something pinching in their chest. Like they were connected or something. But I don't understand how he could have died."

"Neither do I," Squall closes his eyes. "Why is it that bad things follow after each other? Are we jinxed or something?"

"In the end good things will flourish." Rinoa said wisely. "We are getting close on bringing Quistis back."

Squall's eyes lift up "How?" He asks her.

"It is a long story," Rinoa said "But the short version is that Ellone needs to get Quistis, Ming and Ayla all to the dream world. We still need to find out where Ellone has to send them but if we do find that location Ming and Ayla will be able to bring them back."

"How long will it take Ellone to find that location? And how can Ayla help her? She is just a child."

Rinoa shrugs her shoulders, "We don't know exactly, but in the meantime we are going to help Ayla discover and control her Blue Magic."

"Isn't she too young. Quistis was not much older when she found out about her powers and she totally freaked out."

Rinoa sighs softly, "Yes, she is young, but it is the only way to get Quistis back." Rinoa drops the subject and asks her husband, "are their more Weapons coming?"

_I __hope __not._" Kiros has sent some scientist, but there is not much left to examine."

Rinoa seems to be satisfied with that answer because she didn't ask for more.

After they had eaten some they went to the meeting room. They were the last to arrive and when they took their seat Laguna started talking.

Squall looked around the room. Seifer looked a lot better then the last time he saw him. Next to him sits Ellone, somehow she had her powers back and she needed those same powers to bring Quistis back. Ellone looks a bit insecure to him, but he has faith that Ellone can bring Quistis back. He must. His eye met everyone's eyes for just a second before going to the next pair. He is happy that they all seem to feel better, the good news about Quistis helps lessen the pain of Kaim's death.

Not everyone was here. Xu had gone back to Garden with Rajin and Fujin, who were bringing Nero Zwart and his fellow White SeeDs back to garden. Edea was preparing Ayla for her task and Sarah, well nobody knew where Sarah was. Ming told them that she will be alright and that she will come back here after she has had some time to mourn alone. Everybody understood.

He hadn't listened to what his father said, but Rinoa elbowed him in his midsection and he paid attention to Seth. She was telling them about how Kaim got this dagger. All five Immortals were given an object from their own world when they were transported to this world, thousands of years ago. Kaim and Seth were giving these daggers, they could slice through anything. Ming was given a necklace which she still wears till this day and Sarah was given a white orb, she can't remember what Gongora got, but she thought that object must be long gone. Seth told them that she had lost her dagger in the ocean when she was a pirate, at that time she didn't know the true value of that weapon.

Ming told them that her necklace has been her guide, there is some hidden magic inside of it. She only had to think were she wanted to go and her necklace would help her find the way.

The orb Sarah got could be used to absorb an enormous amount of energy, the more energy it stored, the larger the orb grows. The easiest way, if you can call it easy, is to destroy the orb with a blade of Hynisch-steel. Because Seth didn't know that Kaim still had the blade she assumed he would use the last solution there is to destroy the orb before it will destroy the world, sacrifice himself. A single drop of blood and the orb can do no harm, although Seth didn't know what would happen then exactly, the myth told them the person who had shed its blood would be trapped into the orb until its death. It is a horrible faith for a mortal, but they will be locked up for a few decades at most. Unlike them Kaim would be trapped for thousands of yours, if not for a million, if they will ever get him out. But thankfully Kaim did have the Hynisch-dagger, he could destroy the orb without getting himself trapped. He should have lived, if he was still an immortal.

That was another shock for them, to hear that the immortals are no longer immortal. It was hard to see them as mortals like themselves.

After Seth had finished her tale all of them were lost in their own thought until Ellone cleared her throat and told them about their plan to help Quistis and Laguna had finished this meeting with telling them that Kaim will be buried in Esthar, five days from now.

Back in their room Squall was so tired that all he wanted was to sleep. Rinoa closed the curtains and Squall strips down till his boxer and lies down under the warm blanket. Rinoa slips in next to him and she puts her head on his chest. It didn't take them long to fall asleep.

And for the first time in a two long weeks he did sleep well and didn't wake up before sunrise.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Odine was reading the files that they had discovered in the DSR. "The Blue Mage power is connected with the Moon." Odine recites. "As if I didn't know that."

With the full moon the Blue Mages power are stronger. He already knew that, he had experience that first handily.

"Monster activity increases." He read out loud. This could be traced back to the Lunatic Pandora. Slade Flynn hadn't known, but even then Odine had been experiencing with the Lunatic Pandora. "If he had listened to me he would have known too."

He did have some trouble with Flynn's assumption that 'When a Blue Mage is born so is a Weapon.' Over five years ago a Blue Mage was born, but her birth wasn't accompanied with the creation of a Weapon. Leonhart had asked him if Stigma Weapon could be the Weapon that was created when Ayla Almasy was born. Dr. Odine had laughed at him and told him that Stigma Weapon was just a baby, barely a weak old.

Dr. Odine discovered that they were connected, but not the way Flynn thought. _The __Blue __Mage __power __is __used __to __create __the __Weapon. __There __must __be __a __machine __back __at __the __DSR __that __used __Trepe__'__s __Blue __Mage __power __and __created __Stigma._ He wanted to look for that machine, but when he had told the President what he had discovered and afterwards asked Loire if he could look for that machine he had refused before storming out of his lab. Only to return to him within the hour, entering his lab and causing Odine a headache.

"We are going to destroy the DSR. I have asked the SeeD to take care of that problem."

"No." Odine whimpered. "You can't do that."

"Yes I can." Laguna replied angrily. "Remember what happened last time when I ordered you to destroy one of your toys? Remember the Lunatic Pandora?"

Oh he did remember. It was never easy to part with your favorite toy. It was with pain in his heart that he said goodbye to _her._

"I do. You dumped it in the ocean and years later it was used against _us_. Your _toy_ almost destroyed Esthar."

He wasn't to blame, well not really. The easiest way to get rid of it was to dump it in the ocean, or so he thought, but he had underestimated the strength of the Lunatic Pandora. Odine thought that the pressure of the ocean would tear the building apart, but it didn't. It wasn't his fault that the ancient were good constructors. Right?

"Not this time. They will destroy it." Laguna ranted on "That way we can be sure there will never be another Weapon created."

He should have never told Laguna what he discovered, because this time he will lose _her._

He wanted to go to the Deep Sea Research Facility, there was still so much to explore, but it seems he didn't have a chance. First they haven taken away that Trepe woman and now this. It was not fair.

One by one Laguna was taking his toys away.

"_They are exactly the same as Ellone's." Dr. Odine said while comparing both scans. _

"_Does that mean she is in the dream world?"_

"_She is." Odine lifts his head slightly to the right to look past his computer screen. You said Ellone did have a connection with her, at that exact moment, right."_

"_She did, but you can see that here," Lisa Kadowaki highlights the scan at some point. "She has been trying to connect with her again since then, but so far with no result."_

"_There must be a way that we can help." Odine mumbled to himself while staring at the scans. "What if I make a new and improved Junction Machine Ellone?" _

_When he had began making sketches for his new machine, a machine Loire had told him explicitly to never think about again, when Lisa Kadowaki found out where he was working on she had immediately called security and threw him out of the lab, threatening him that if he ever came back, then…. Well let's say he didn't want to think about what that woman could do to him. _

"Fine, if you want to destroy it so badly, then you do it. Like I care." Odine said with a tone that he didn't care. He shoved the president out of his office and he just sat there under the flickering light.

He didn't have any intention to get any of the Blue Mages back to the DSR, he didn't want to create a new Weapon. Yes, he is fascinated by those monsters, but not if they are there to kill them. Also there were so many secrets still lying around there and he will never know what people left for him to find.

Odine realize they see him as a strange man, people misunderstand him and mistreat him, but al he wanted to do was help. He wants to help the people who hate him, he can help them but they won't let him. They won't let him near and they don't let him go.

Like it or not, he is a prisoner and he can never leave Esthar.

_I only have to find a new toy. _

The flickering light bulb had finally had enough of its own flickering and it died down, leaving Odine in the dark in his small office. In the dark nobody could see the evil grim plastered on his face. If people saw him like evil, he would show them evil. Real evil.

_And I think I know were I can find it. _

* * *

><p>A soft voice sings an ancient song about the death while the coffin was slowly descending down in the earth.<p>

Selphie leans closer in Irvine's side, at this moment the realization hits her hard that life and death are so close.

She found out she is pregnant today, this morning she had taken a pregnancy test and it turned out positive. Unconscious she lays her hand on her still flat stomach. She was feeling a bit sick the last weak but she blamed that to the lack of sleep. None of them were feeling one hundred percent the last two weeks, but under the circumstance that wasn't really strange.

She had been talking with Edea when she had to rush to the toilets to empty her stomach. Edea had looked at her with her all-knowing golden eyes of her but she hadn't said anything. She was just acting like she was a kid back in the orphanage. Edea stroked her back and give her some water and cookies to nibble on.

Selphie did however know what Edea was hinting at, but she pushed that thought to the back of her mind, without much luck. Edea's hint kept twirling in her head. Maybe it was fate but when she walked from the palace to the Odine's lab she noticed that her shoe lace had loosened, she bent down to tie her laces and when she stood up she saw she was standing before a pharmacy store. Without a second thought she bought herself a pregnancy test.

She was so happy when she found out that the test was positive, but she also had a nagging feeling in the back of her head. She needs to focus on Quistis, they were so close on getting her back, and they were still searching for Slade Flynn. She had wanted to go with Squall but he told her to stay, she was their pilot and where the Ragnarok is, so is she. Unfortunately the Ragnarok was being repaired and she wouldn't fly anytime soon.

The last few days went by so fast and there was nothing she could do to help anyone. She was feeling helpless. Knowing there is nothing you can do to help your loved ones is the must frustrated feeling there is, and she was experiencing that feeling to the fullest.

And now that feeling was mixed with her own happiness.

_I __need __to __focus. _She reminds herself again. First she should tell Irvine that he was going to be a father. In another time and another place she would have laid a prank on him, but not now, not today.

After the service she will tell him, plain and simple. If she has got this out of her system she can fully focus on Quistis again. The last thing Selphie need is to think about her own problems, which aren't real problems compared to what they are facing.

"You okay?"

Irvine's tender voice brings her back to the funeral, the death side of life, everyone except Sarah had already left.

"'M fine." Selphie whispers to him while trading his arm in his. Walking along the small path they walk past Ellone who is watching her mother silently. Irvine gives her a pet on her shoulder and she thanks them before she walks to her mother.

They were all hurt with the lost of Kaim, but Sarah was taking the hardest blow, understandable. They had been married for so long. Seth and Ming had tried to console Sarah, but they too had to fight of their own tears. Laguna lost his father but he still needed to rule a country and find a mad man. Kiros and Ward were helping him in everyway they could but Laguna took no time to mourn. _So__father__so__son._Squall had used the same tactic, just not to think about what he lost, his grandfather.

They were all feeling the lost its hardest, but Ellone did feel the aftermath of that lost. She had not only tried to console her mother, but also her uncle and her brother. She had to forget her own pain because she also has to focus on helping Quistis. She hadn't been able to make contact with Quistis again this last week and Selphie suspected it had everything to do with the last week's event.

She had also overheard a conversation between Ming and Seth. She hadn't mean to eavesdrop but she couldn't stop herself when she heard them talking about their immortality. Selphie was shocked when she heard that they both thought they weren't immortal anymore. It would explain why Kaim had died, the autopsy on his body had showed nothing out of the ordinary, but there was nothing they could compare the results with. Seth had thought that because of the magic Kaim would have been trapped inside the orb for eternity. Selphie didn't say it out loud but she thought that Kaim had gotten the better end of a terrible deal.

They were almost back at the palace when Selphie pulled Irvine to stop. Looking in Irvine's face she can see the same haunting eyes that everybody wears these days. "I don't want to go back yet."

He must have seen something in her eyes because without asking why, he led her to a nearby park.

Sitting down on a bench Irvine places his arm around Selphie. Selphie listens to the chirping sounds of birds in the background Selphie knows that this is it, there is no playing around the bush anymore, and it is now or never. "I'll have to tell you something."

Irvine senses it is important and urges her to continue while holding her tighter.

Selphie hates the way her voice is wavering when she says next. "We are going to have a baby."

Like any other man Irvine is shocked, but to his defense he recovers quickly and his eyes light up with so much warmth and love that Selphie almost melts in his embrace.

"We should get married." Irvine said after he recovered from her _surprise._

At another place and another time Irvine's proposal wouldn't be like this at all. It would have been grand and big, probably with a lot of people to witness, but right now and right here this is the best place to do it. In a small park with their only witnesses the birds sitting in the treetops, singing their most beautiful songs.

"I think we should."

Their proposal is sealed with a kiss.

* * *

><p>She hated to see her mother like this, heartbroken and lost. Seth had warned her to watch over her mother, she told Ellone that her mother had fallen into a depression after she lost her child and during that time she had almost killed the remaining of her own family, her husband and grandchildren. Seth did tell her that there was magic involved, but that didn't mean that Sarah could still get depressed.<p>

The last thing Ellone needed was to see her mother falling into a depression.

Irvine and Selphie walk past and if it wasn't for Irvine petting her on the shoulder she wouldn't even notice them. "Thanks." She said quietly and she walked over to her mother.

She was feeling drained when she stands next to her mother. The last five days have been heavy for her, she had to split her time with consoling her family and learning how to use her abilities again. It would have gone a lot faster if her mother could help her, but at the moment her mother couldn't help her, in fact Ellone needs to help her mother.

"Mom?" Ellone touches her mothers shoulder and she can feel they are stiff. When was the last time her mother had slept? When was the last time any of them had _really _slept? Ellone's night were still disturbed with nightmares, old ones and new ones. Last night she had dreamed she was running, running away from the shadows or the monsters she didn't know. She kept on running until she came to a large stone circle and- well she couldn't remember what happened next.

Her mothers sniffle brings her mind back to the things she wants to say. "I need your help. I can't do it on my own."

Sarah dries her tears and she takes a deep breath. And another, and another before she looks back to her daughter. "I will help you."

That went a lot better then she would have thought. "You will?" She thinks but she didn't realize she said that out loud.

"I am sorry it took me so long."

Confusions spreads on Ellone's face and a faint smile begins to appear on Sarah's mouth "But you've got noth-"

"I have. I am sorry I have neglected you. I should be the one helping you, not the other way around." Sarah kneels down next to the grave and trails her fingers along the headstone. "It is just, that I never thought I would lose him. After your father died, I made a promise to myself, to never get involved with mortals again. I know I will outlive them and that it will hurt me. When I finally found Kaim again I knew we would be together forever."

Ellone kneels down next to her mother and pulls her I a hug while whispering in her ear, "Mother stop." After which Sarah did stop her rambling. Now was not the time to open up old wounds. She was a tad mad at her mother, she thought that her mother didn't love her dad, that she was only with him to forget Kaim. But after feeling the pain inside of Sarah she knows that her mother loved her father, and his death affected her as much as it did Ellone.

_This __is __not __going __well. _She hauls her mother back to her feat and she grips her upper arms tightly. "Mom I need you." She said forcefully. It was like her mother snapped out of some kind of trance and she looked at her with clear blue eyes. "I don't know what to do anymore." She had to be strong for the last five days but now she couldn't anymore, tears were beginning to fall from her eyes. "Help me reach Quisty."

"I am so sorry." Sarah said again and this time she was consoling her daughter. "Let's get out of here." Sarah glances back at Kaim's grave once before they leave the graveyard.

Halfway on the road to the palace Ellone had recollected herself and they were even making some small talk. Reaching the palace Sarah told Ellone that she will see Laguna first and that she will come see her in Ellone's room.

With some spare time Ellone decided to treat her stomach to a nice lunch. When she entered the kitchen she could smell the freshly baked pancakes Zell was making and her mouth started to water. Zell must have seen her look or something, cause he slide a plate filled with pancakes in her direction and Ellone expressed her gratitude to him before sprinkling her pancakes with syrup.

"You okay?" Zell asks while flipping a pancake high in the air and catches it with his pan.

"Much better know." Ellone smiled while rubbing her stomach. "Thanks."

Zell grins and starts to eat from his own huge pile of pancakes. If he wants to eat all of them he will be here for an awhile.

She pushed her chair back and stood up to clean her dishes but Zell stopped her.

"I'll do it." When Ellone looked at him questionable he explained "I can't do anything right now, you can."

The waiting was killing them all, she could see that. She runs over to Zell and hugs him tightly "Thank you."

Zell ruffles her hair and shoos her out of the kitchen. "You just bring Quisty back, I will take care of things here."

Ellone laughs softly at his antics, no matter what happens, Zell never change. For which she is really glad. "I will." She said confidentially while being pushed out of the room.

Zell closes the door behind her and he can hear him talking to his food he is about to eat. Shaking her head she walks to her room and waits.

After eating too many pancakes and sitting in the comfortable arm chair Ellone's head begins to drop and she finds herself talking to a familiar face.

She needs to try something different, but what?

* * *

><p>"You're doing really great." She encourages her great-something-granddaughter. Ming pushes a branch out of the way and steps into a clearing in the forest. Ayla follows behind her, her eyes shifting rapidly from left to right in search of a monster.<p>

"There are no monsters here." Xu said from behind them.

Xu had equipped the monster-enc ability so they wouldn't get disturbed by any monsters. The training centre in Balamb was for the moment off limits. When you ask Xu to help, she will help you thoroughly. All Ming had asked was a quiet place to train, especially a room with could be trashed. Remembering her own daughters training, even though she was a lot older, well let's say her garden never was the same as before. Xu had appointed the training centre for them, only if she could get along. Ming was glad for any help she could get, she was just glad that Seifer didn't went with them. This whole situation was already pressing on his shoulders immediately, he shouldn't lift any more weight.

"Dad said he fought a T-Rex here." Ayla squints her eyes before searching all the bushes around the clearing.

"He did. But he won't come out as long as I have this baby."

Ayla looks with large eyes to the bracelet Xu is wearing, her search for the T-Rex already forgotten. "I want one too."

"I am sure you will," Xu pulls her sleeve back over the bracelet. "You just have to wait a few years." Ayla begins to pout and Xu's smile only gets bigger. "Tell you what. If you work really hard today, I will see what I can do for you."

A grin so much like her fathers spread on her face and Ayla looks expectedly to Ming. But it is her eyes that remind Ming at the task ahead.

Ayla was doing really great. Together with Seifer she had explained to her where her Blue Magic comes from, she was surprised to hear that Ayla already knew that. Later Seifer told her that Quistis is proud of her inheritance and she wants their daughter to know everything about it.

Ming told her what she needed to learn if she wanted to help her mother, and like Ming expected Ayla had told them she would do everything, if it could bring her mother back.

She knew five days and they had been training for four days and the five year old had already mastered her first Blue Magic, _Laser__Eye._

"That rock." Ming pointed to a large dark grey rock covered in moss.

Ayla closed her eyes and balls her tiny fist. She concentrates really hard and in the end it pays of. Red laser beams sprout from her eyes and _splashes_ the rock in thousands of pieces.

_That's the first step taken._

"Really good Ayla," she pauses until Ayla looks up to her. "Remember that you can't use that power without us telling you to." Ming hates to learn someone so young how to fight, but she realizes there is no other choice. So instead she ignores the voice inside of her to stop and she continuous Ayla's training, well they will after lunch. "Let's get something to eat shall we?"

Ayla had raced Xu to the exit and Ming walked slowly behind them, her laughter filled the emptiness of the trainings centre.

On their way to the cafeteria Ayla greeted everyone with a huge smile. All of them smiled back at her happily but when she was out of their eyesight Ming could see the sympathy glances sent to her.

In the cafeteria Nida was waiting for them. Dr. Jennifer Beckett had allowed him to leave the Infirmary for small amounts of time, like sharing lunch with his fellow SeeD, but only with someone to supervise. Today Dr. Beckett herself seemed to be Nida's supervision. When Jennifer heard them approaching her blond head shut up and she smiled broadly "I wondered what took you so long. I almost send Nida to look for you."

"Haha." Nida said dryly. All of them, except Ayla, knew that Dr. Beckett wouldn't have send Nida to look for them, despite how much he complained he was fine he still isn't.

"I see I can leave you in their capable hands." Jennifer Beckett got her tray and dumped it in the trashcan on her way out. "I want you back in an hour."

"Yeah, yeah." Nida shifted uncomfortable to relieve some of his weight from his foot "How was your day?" He directed his question to Ayla.

Ayla told him about her day with lots of arms movement while Ming and Xu stood in the line to grab some food.

"Is she ready?" Xu asked Ming while grabbing a chicken sandwich.

"I think she is." Ming replied glancing back at Ayla and Nida.

"And you?"

She had asked herself that question too many times these last few days. She is the first Blue Mage but she doesn't feel like that. The last in the line, a five year old knows more Blue Magic then she does. She had never felt the lost of her powers so much as she does know.

"I am getting there."

Xu didn't ask more.

For a while the four of them forget their daily problems and they simple enjoyed a simple meal. Ayla had wanted to hear the story of how Xu and Nida saved her parents and Nida had gladly obeyed.

Ming's thoughts drifted back to the funeral. She still couldn't believe Kaim was death, but she had to face the hard truth, she isn't immortal anymore. She did have a hunch something was wrong but she would have never thought it was with their immortality. She is sorry they had to find this out the hard way, with the lost of one of them, but she was glad that she knew. She doesn't wants to live forever anymore. She has lived for so long, and she has lost so many she loved. They told her it would get easier, but it never did. After her husband and her daughter died she thought nothing could hurt as much, but generation after generation of Queens of Numara and Blue Mages died and it still hurt. What hurt the most was that she did life on. Ming desperately wants to see Jansen again and the only way she can _really_see him again is in the after-life. Now she has the confirmation that they will get there, that is were everyone who dies goes to, but she can't leave this world yet, no matter how much she wants to see Jansen again he will have to wait. _When __I __do __come __we __still __have __eternity._

"Earth to Ming."

Ming blinks her eyes. "Yes?"

"We are ready to get back." Xu glances at Ming's still full tray "Do you want us to wait?"

Ming shakes her head "No. I am not hungry." She does however take the apple from her tray before she dumps the rest in the trashcan.

They are walking slowly with Nida, who is leaning heavily on Xu, and when they reach the hallway to the Infirmary Xu and Nida say goodbye and Ayla grabs Ming's hand.

"Can we go see mommy now?"

"Of course we can."

A SeeD drove them back to Esthar where they stepped on the hovers and in no time they had reached O-lab.

Ayla runs inside, already knowing her way around here, and runs into her fathers embrace. He lifts her up and together they sit next to Quistis, keeping watch over her.

Looking at this little family she knows she can't leave. Not yet.

_Jansen will have to wait. I am still needed here. He'll understand._

* * *

><p>Why was he doing this again? There are a lot of people who are much better at this sneaking then he is. He could understand why Laguna sent him and not Kiros, Kiros had always handled a lot of business Laguna should take care of, and now he needed him more then ever, but why would he send him?<p>

Laguna had joked that despite his size he was still the quietest man he knows, Ward couldn't be sure if he was talking about his voice or his movements. Beside he was the only one available at such short notice. But he really hadn't time to think about that. He was following someone and he couldn't afford to lose him.

_Why are you lurking in the shadows?_

The small form of the man was talking to somebody, but Ward couldn't see who he was engaging into a conversation. He disliked the shadow man immediately, anybody who would willingly talk to Dr. Odine is crazy.

They whispered softly to each other, their heads bent close to each other. Ward wanted to get closer to them so he could hear what they were talking about, but there isn't anything he can hide behind close enough to hear the words spoken. He shifts his food and he steps on a twig, his body tenses, and he barely dares to take a look to see if they heard him.

When nothing happened after a minute he looks through the crates and sees that they are still talking in hushed voices.

_That was close._

He exhales his breath, softly, and squints his eyes. Dr. Odine is giving the man in the shadows something, Ward can't see what it is. The object is slipped in the shadow's man pocket and Dr. Odine visible relaxes a bit.

A dog barks and the shadow man looks around. His eye stray on the crate's Ward is hiding behind and Ward locks eye with the shadow man.

_Oh shit._

No longer needing to hide he jumps from behind the craters and he can see Dr. Odine tremble in fear. But it isn't the good doctor he needs to watch for. He had only glimpsed at Dr. Odine for a second when the shadow man is closing in to him really fast.

Ward blocks his attack, the man didn't draw a weapon but uses his bare fist. Ward had wanted to bring his Anchor along, but there really isn't any place he could hide that large a weapon, so he too had to fight with his fist only.

Ward moves himself around so he can throw a punch at the man's belly, his fist grace the soft satin mantle of him, which he realizes is a pale blue.

Behind him he hears Dr. Odine's rapid footsteps. There was nothing he could do then to let that man run, he would catch him later anyway, well that is if he can take this man down first.

A fist is rammed in his side and he groans in pain. _I __am __getting __to __old __for __this. _The next hit from the shadow man pushes all the air out of his lungs. Ward falls down on his knees, taking a breather, and he runs with his head in the man's belly. He pushes him against the wall and with some satisfaction he hears a bone break and the man's scream of pain.

Ward takes a few steps back and looks at the man lying at his feet. He wants to remove the man's hood but the man grabs Ward wrist and slams him in the wall next to him.

Despite the pain, Ward struggles to his feet and so does the men next to him. Both are struggling but the shadow man is faster and instead of attacking Ward again he runs, he glances back once before disappearing.

_I know him._

Ward hears a siren coming closer and he shuts his eyes.

_I know him. _

* * *

><p>AN: Reviews are man's best friend:)  
>Make me happy and leave one behind.<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

She left Laguna's private room feeling much better. After her little breakdown before in front of her daughter she needed to sort her thoughts. She needed to be herself again before she could face her daughter again.

Sarah and Laguna had only talked about random things, but both of them felt that a weight had lifted from their shoulders, a weight they didn't know they were carrying. Thanks to their little talk they could both focus on the tasks ahead and her task was to help Ellone.

Knocking softly on the door she gets no answer, she waits for a few minutes before deciding to enter. Just as she thought Ellone was sleeping, but not in her comfortable bed, but in her armchair. Her legs are tugged underneath her on the armchair and her head rest on her arms. She can see Ellone's eye move rapidly under her close eyelids. _She __is __dreaming, _Sarah concludes

Squatting down next to her she touches Ellone's hands as she closes her eyes. _Let__'__s __see __if __I __can __still __do __this._

Concentrating hard she can see glimpses of the dream Ellone was dreaming, or rather the nightmare.

_Dark. _

_She is running. _

_She falls on the ground. She is hurt, blood is seeping from her arm._

_Her long blond hair is flying behind her, much like a cape. _

_Suddenly she stops running, it feels like she has walked at a wall._

_The moon has come in the sky, a soft light illuminates the place she is standing at. A stone circle. Eight pillars stand in a perfect circle, with eight stones perched on top of these pillars horizontally, creating an archway. _

_The first monster closes in, his fang raised, ready to kill her. The second, third, fourth, all monsters come running towards her._

_A blinding white light engulfs the stone circle._

Ellone's head shut op and her eyes fly open, her frightened eyes searches for something, what she is searching for Sarah doesn't know. Finally Ellone looks her mother in the eye and she relaxes.

"What did you see?"

Ellone walks to the sink and fills a glass of water which she empties in one gulp "Seth and Quistis."

"Our Seth?"

"No, Seth of Uhra."

_Little __Seth_, _Tolten__'__s __daughter_. Sarah was surprised at first, but then she remembered that Ellone had told them that she had seen Seth before. She told them just moments before she lost consciousness when she felt- _no __I __don__'__t __want __to __think __about __that __now._

"Tolten's daughter."

Ignoring the voice in the back of her head, who is asking why Seth was coming in Ellone's dream, she asks instead, "Did she say something, anything that can help us?"

"I think she did, but everything she said starts to blur, the memory is becoming vague rapidly."

Sarah did see some flashes, maybe she would be able to help her daughter remember.

Ellone told her about the dream she had and after she had finished retelling her dream, Sarah remembered Edea telling her about something that happened a weak ago. "Didn't Seifer and Ayla have a similar dream too? Edea told me Ayla had a nightmare filled with shadows and monsters."

"They had?" Ellone asked, confused why she hadn't thought of that before. "Is it possible that Seth controls our dreams?"

"I don't think so. She doesn't have to power to control dreams, or see dreams like we do." Sarah replied. "There must be someone else who is helping us through Seth."

A flash of recognition swim through Sarah's eyes. _It __couldn__'__t __be, __could __it?_

"_Her_." Ellone said. "Could it be that she is sending clues through these dreams? That would be the second time she is helping us."

"Second time?" Sarah asks.

"Oh right, you weren't in this world when I saw her for the first time." Ellone starts to explain sitting down on the chair next to her mother. "After you went back to your own world we were stuck. We couldn't get back until she appeared and send us back."

_It __must __be __her. _"I think she does." Sarah answered Ellone's question she asked before. "Hyne is helping us."

"Hyne?"

"She is an Immortal, she is the one who created the Guardians."

"I remember, you have told us that when we were in the Time Compressed world. Does she still live in your world?"

"I wouldn't know." Sarah said honestly. "Nobody has seen her in a long time, a really long time, even for us."

Both women ponder about Hyne until Sarah brings the subject of the dream up again. _We __need __to __figure __this __out._

Ellone called Seifer to ask him about the dream and he told her in detail what he saw. Ellone thanked him and ended the phone call.

Together they recited the dream, they search and examined every little detail. There must be a clue in there somewhere.

Sarah's eye fall on the table in the corner of the room. Photos of Ellone's family and friends are displayed but her eyes ignore those pictures, they are more interested on the stone that lies in front of Raine's photo. She can _feel_ it is no ordinary stone, it looks exactly like regular water stone, oval shaped and a dark blue color. "Where did you get this from?"

Ellone walks over to her mother and grabs the stone from Sarah and holds it in her closes fist. Her other hand grabs Raine's photo. "Raine gave it to me. She told me she found this in the outskirts of Winhill. She told me it was no ordinary water stone, but she didn't know what it was exactly. Although she did keep saying it would help me someday." Ellone pauses. "Anyway I simply kept the stone because it reminds me about her. If you look closely you can see water inside the stone, sometimes it is like the ocean and other times it is like watching out of the window to see the pouring rain."

Ellone returns the stone to Sarah and something inside of Sarah urged her to look closely at the stone. Holding it close to her eyes she can indeed see the ocean whirling in the small stone. She wants to return the stone on the table when her eyes see a flash coming from the stone, it was so small that Ellone didn't notice, but she did. The ocean disappeared and a stone circle appeared, the same stone circle Ellone dreamed about. "Look at this."

Hearing the urgency in her mother's voice Ellone looks closely at the stone and something clicked inside her mind. "I know where I have to go. I know what I need to do."

Sarah couldn't be more proudly about her daughter then she is right now, she knew her daughter would figure it all out.

"I know which way I have to take." Ellone said determined.

"Then we should leave immediately."

* * *

><p>"Are you okay?"<p>

His answer? A nod and a grunt.

"I take that as a yes."

Ward made himself more comfortable in his bed, but the bed was small and he was large, that combination doesn't make his stay in the hospital pleasant.

Laguna does feel guilty, he was the one who send Ward after Odine. Once again the doctor had shown why he couldn't be trusted, and now his friend was lying in the hospital bed with three bruised ribs. _Only__three__bruised__ribs._ Ward had been lucky.

They had found Dr. Odine's body not far away from where they had found Ward. His neck was bending at such a strange angle that nobody doubted that was what killed him.

"Are you sure it was Slade Flynn?"

Another nod between Wards coughing.

"You should take it easy big guy. You may not be so lucky next time."

After Flynn ran away from the fight with Ward he must have found Dr. Odine and killed him. That was the only explanation that made sense. Kiros and Squall were already checking the footage of the cameras. Laguna didn't doubt that Flynn was the killer, but he is shocked that he could have done that much damage in such a short amount of time. Ward had been waiting for five minutes before the Estharian Soldiers found him, and the Soldiers found Odine's body not long after that. Flynn had killed him and had the time to evade the Estharian Soldiers.

"Huh?" Ward tugged on Laguna's sleeve to get his attention. "Oh, the phone."

The phone had been ringing for some time and Laguna hadn't even noticed. He could see Ward looking amused but he ignored him when he answered his call. "Loire."

"_Slade Flynn was indeed the killer."_

Kiros always had been straight to the point and today was not different, but a hello would have been nice too. Laguna decided this is not the time to make fun of Kiros, _there __are __bigger __things __to __worry __about. _"Just as I thought."

"_From what we can see he simply approached Odine from the back and snapped his neck like he was nothing more than a rag doll."_

That was disturbing. Someone with that much power, he doesn't want to think about what he could do when he is armed.

"I want that man, I wanted to have him yesterday." As an afterthought he said "And ask them to help searching."

"_We are already on it, if he is still in Esthar we will find him."_

_But __I __am __afraid __he __isn__'__t __in __Esthar __any more. _"Good."

"_How is Ward doing?"_

Laguna looks at the men in question, he still looks amused at Laguna, and something what unnerves him. "He is just peachy." Ward grins at Laguna's answer.

"_Tell him I come by later."_

"I will." And whit that he hung up the phone. "If you keep looking to me like _that,_ Kiros will be the only visitor you'll be having in a long time."

Ward shrugged but the grin leaves his face.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean that." Laguna knows Ward simply wanted to help him by relieving him from the pressure he feels, but that pressure is the only thing keeping him going right know.

Laguna sits down and Ward pets him on the back.

"It is just…. He has been right here under our noses and we didn't know."

Fifteen minutes later Laguna excused himself and returned to his office. He needed to do something, anything, just to keep his mind from thinking. So much had happened over the past week and it still wasn't over.

At his desk the dagger that belonged to Kaim lay there with a note attached to it.

_Your father would have wanted you to have this. Seth. _

It is a beautiful dagger and they had needed it to kill Stigma Weapon, but he couldn't look at it, not now. Laguna opens the bottom drawer of his desk and he puts the dagger in its secret compartment.

Staring at his drawer he shifted his eyes to his incoming mail. Kiros had sent him the stills of the murder of Dr. Odine. It was unmistakably Slade Flynn, he was their culprit. _Where __are __you __hiding?_

He was starting to feel restless, he felt the need to fight, to release some off his energy. _The __training __centre __it __is._

After he had released his emotions in the shooting arena he had showered and he walked freshly back to his office. _Maybe __I __was __wrong __and __maybe __Kiros __found __him __already._ He had forgot his pager, so he hoped nothing bad had happened while he was unreachable, well the guards knew where he was so if there was any news, they would have told him.

To his dismay Kiros didn't find anything yet, or so Zell told him while he ran past him.

At the next corner Irvine runs past him without even looking at him. Laguna turns his head to see where he is going but he doesn't see where he went because something bumped into him which made him fall down.

"Sorry, oh Sir Laguna, I am so sorry." Selphie said while helping Laguna to his feet again. Before Laguna had to ask what is going on, she had already left.

Laguna is curious, he wants to know what is happening here, so he turns around and he runs in the same direction Zell, Selphie and Irvine ran to. At the first intercept he was already lost, the frustration was returning to him, he wanted to pull his hair out of his head, but instead he just leans on the wall to catch his breath. His ears however pick up a sound, a sound of running footsteps.

_What is with all the running people?_

To his surprise Ellone runs in his direction, the normal timed and quit Ellone was behaving so unlike herself. _Is __something __wrong? _Although she is running in his direction her eyes aren't set on him, but at the hallway behind him, just as Irvine she doesn't notice him.

This time however he is ready, he pushes himself off the wall and he prepares himself for the impact. Which never comes?

"What's wrong uncle Laguna?" Ellone said through rapid breaths.

"I could ask you the same, young lady." Laguna chastised her. "What is going on around here, everyone is in a hurry."

"You haven't heard?" Seeing her uncle's expression she starts to explains rapidly. "We know how to get Quisty back, we are taking her to some ruins in the Centra region."

_How long have I been out of the loop?_

"We will get her back uncle." Ellone yelled happily while she runs further.

Laguna's shakes his head and returns to his office. _I __need __to __find __Kiros, __maybe __he __can __fill __me __in._

* * *

><p>Finally they were getting somewhere. At least with one of their <em>problems. <em>Slade Flynn was still missing, but she didn't care about him, today they would bring Quistis back, she is sure of that.

While Squall is searching for Slade Flynn, Rinoa is in a small aircraft on her way towards the Centra region, the Serengeti Plains. Although everyone had wanted to come along they couldn't, they still needed to find Flynn. Zell, Irvine and Xu were staying behind to look for him. The others were sitting in this small plane.

The Ragnarok was still broken and they had to take an Estharian plane to get them were they needed to be. Selphie wasn't aloud to pilot this ship so they had an Estharian pilot flying them, Squall had therefore asked Selphie to stay in Esthar but she had refused. Selphie complained that she wanted to go, she had something important to tell Quistis, what that is Rinoa didn't know and she didn't ask. In the end Squall let her come along, even if the only reason was that she would stop complaining.

The person in her lap begins to stir and she whispers in her ear, "Go back to sleep." Ayla snuggles closer to her and falls sleeps further.

Seifer sits in the row before her, he lies on both seat, fast asleep. It is a long ride in this small plane, if they could have taken the Ragnarok they would be there three times faster, at least, but they couldn't so they had no choice but to take this plane. They were only halfway and Rinoa was already bored out of her mind, and with Ayla clinging to her she can't move an inch.

Selphie was having a lively conversation with the pilot, what about Rinoa couldn't hear but she was glad at least one of them was having fun.

Ellone, Sarah and Ming were talking quietly about what is in store for them, she didn't have any part in what is to come next. There is nothing she can do except support everyone here, Seth was the same, she can't help them but still she listen to their conversation trying to help them in any way she can.

The doors behind her, in the back of the compartment, whoosh open and Edea sits down in the row next to hers, on the other side of the middle path. She sits crooked on her seat, looking straight at Rinoa, "How are they doing?"

"Fine. Both of them finally get some decent sleep," unconscious Rinoa strokes Ayla's back.

Edea turns in her seat and her back relaxes against the soft seat leaning, but her eyes stray on Ayla. "I hope she is ready."

"She will be," Rinoa glances to Seifer who is shifting in his seat but continues sleeping, "and Quistis?"

Edea seems to ponder on something before answering. "She is strong, she will make it."

_Make __it? _It never occurred to Rinoa that Quistis could die. She never allowed herself to think about that possibility, but the reality is that she could die and she had to prepare herself for such a fatal outcome, just like Edea had already done.

"I don't like this place." Edea said out of the blue.

"Huh?" _Where __does __this __come __from?_

"Were we are going, I don't like that place."

"You have been here before?" Rinoa asks.

"It is where I received my Sorceress Powers when I was a child," Edea replied softly. She stares out of the small window. "I never told anyone about this before, well Cid knows and I believe Ming knows too, but nobody else."

Edea looks to Ayla to see if she is really sleeping. Rinoa's gaze follow down and she nods her head. "She is still asleep."

Edea takes a deep breath before she tells Rinoa her story. "My parents were archeologist, so we traveled around the world a lot. When I was eight we traveled to this region, we found some ruins from the ancient and my parents were really excited. At that time I wasn't that interested with history, I was angry at my parents for taking me away from my friends, _again_. One night I was so angry with them I ran away. Till this day I don't know how I got there, but I just was. I stood in a stone circle, but I wasn't alone. A woman was dying, slowly, my instinct to help this woman kicked in and I tried everything I could to help her. She looked at me with sorrow in her eyes and she told me there was only one way I could help her. I was naïve and told her I would do anything, _anything,_to help her. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't stop the transferring of her Sorceress Powers. I was in a lot of pain and she was gone. My parents found me sleeping in the ruins the next morning and they never knew I wasn't the same again. I was different and I saw the world different. From that moment I was engrossed with history and I needed to know everything there is to know about Sorceresses," Edea is barely able to contain her tears when she says "I didn't even know her name."

Rinoa doesn't know what to say, so instead she grabs Edea's right hand. "You're not alone anymore." Rinoa feels the pain Edea is going through, the same pain that she herself had gone through, but she had her friends beside her, _and __Squall,_who helped her through that rough time, but Edea was alone."Those powers are gone and they won't come back again."

"You'll never know. We thought Ellone had lost her powers and look at her now."

Looking at Ellone she can see the burdens she has to bear, but she can also see the tiny smile perched on her lips.

"Her powers aren't evil. She doesn't feel what we have felt. What we still feel."

"Is it strange for me to fear?"

"No it isn't. I am afraid too, but I can't afford to keep scared. They need me, they need _us._" She looks to the child in her lap and smiles. Ayla holds the lapel of Rinoa jacket in her tiny fists. "Everything will be alright, I just know it."

Edea needs a while to take everything in Rinoa said, but after some time the sour look finally leaves her face to be replaced with determination. "I think you are right. We are al going to be alright."

They were still holding hands when the plane touched the ground. Two ex-Sorceresses, fate brought them together, love keeps them tided together.

* * *

><p>He was roused from his sleep when someone climbed into his lap, but he kept his eyes closed, he was still tired and wanted to get some more sleep. The person in his lap touched his cheek and placed a sloppy kiss on his lips. "Wake up daddy." She said cheerfully while slapping his cheek soft, but rapidly.<p>

"Ouch," Seifer groans, which makes Ayla giggle. "You're in big trouble now," he threatened. Ayla jumped of his lap and runs to the exit. Before leaving his sight she turns around and yells.

"You have to catch me first."

Seifer stands up quickly and Ayla darts out of the plane. He walks slowly the same path she did and he sees Rinoa standing near the exit, waiting for him. Behind Rinoa he sees Ayla, hiding behind her legs. "Lisa needs your help."

"Okay," Seifer pretends he doesn't know where Ayla is and asks his friend, "Have you seen Ayla."

"Can't say I have," Rinoa said, playing along.

"If you find her, tell her she is in big trouble."

Rinoa winks and tells him solemnly "I will."

Seifer walks away, still pretending to search for Ayla until he is at the back of the plane. He is glad that his little girl is doing much better, she even seems to be in better spirits. Even he was feeling better, today he would be able to hold Quistis in his arms again and with her arms returning his embrace.

At the back of the plane Dr. Lisa Kadowaki is waiting for him, Quistis lays on the gurney but there won't be able to roll her to the ruins, there is no straight path, well to be honest there isn't any path. It is all rock and sands, not a surface you can transport a gurney on.

"You'll have to carry her."

Without saying a word he lifts his wife to a sitting position and carries her on his back, he didn't know he is mimicking his ex-rival. Selphie however does see the resemblance, she whispers something in Rinoa's ear and both woman giggle softly. Seifer doesn't notice, his eyes are fixed on his daughter and his aunt. With striding steps he walks on the rocky non-existing path towards them.

Seeing her mother on her fathers back removes the glee from Ayla's face and replaces it with a bit of fear, hope and something Seifer can't place. "Let's go squirt."

A few meters ahead, at the entrance of the ruins, Edea is sitting on a rock waiting for them. When they approach her she stands up and smoothes her dress. "This way." Edea told them and lead them through the ruins.

He wanted to ask her how exactly she knows where to go, but Rinoa saw his questioning look and gave him that answer before he could even asks. "She has been here before," she told him, like that would explain everything, but she didn't said more. He knows there is a story behind this, but now is not the time to figure that out. So instead he simply follows his matron through the ruins.

Not much was left of this once huge place, as far as he could see there were only stones, rocks and sand, nothing seems to grow here. There were still a few walls standing, but barely, and Seifer wondered how long they would remain like this. He could still see the structure of the building, its fundament was still here. Seifer is glad the walls are gone, otherwise he would have got lost in this building, without a doubt.

A sound to his left makes him turn around, but to his relief it is just a crumbling wall. He resumes his pace and Edea leads the group through and over the ruins. They were walking for quite some time, Ayla had already arranged herself a piggy ride on Selphie's back, and he himself was starting to feel the weight on his back.

Rinoa walks next to him with her hands full of blankets. "You holding on?" Seifer nods his head but Rinoa can see through him, or so it seems, she dumps the blankets on the ground and told him to, "Put her down, you need a break."

Seifer ignores her and walks stubbornly further. He should be able to carry his wife, he is stronger than this, and he has to be strong. But his muscles resist, he can't go on. Reluctant he turns around and let Rinoa help him put Quistis down. Dr. Kadowaki kneels down beside her to check on her and Seifer stretches his tired muscles.

Selphie puts Ayla down on the ground and accepts the can of water from Sarah. After drinking some cool water she gives the can to Ayla who eagerly drinks the cool water. After she finished Selphie told Ayla to give it to her father.

Seifer takes the can from Ayla saying "Thanks," and he sits down next to Quistis. Ayla sits down in the space between his legs and he pulls her to his chest, hugging her tightly, placing a kiss on her hair.

"We have to go further." Selphie said after a few minutes. Seifer lifts his daughter in the air and helps her climb back on Selphie's back. Rinoa helps him with Quistis and in no time they are on their way again.

After another hour hiking through the ruins Seifer saw the first living things in this, until then, dead place, grass. The further they walked the more green they see, bushes and trees in full bloom. _We __must __be __getting __close._ He could feel it in his chest.

After another break he wondered why they couldn't have taken the plain and Selphie had explained to him that there is some magnetic field around here somewhere, messing with the instruments of the plain. If they would have flown here they would have been flying blind, after hearing that Seifer is glad they had to walk, even if it hurt his muscles. Selphie, Rinoa and Seth change with playing donkey and they had to let Ayla walk some parts on her own. But despite her age she has surprise many adults, and she will continue to do that, of that Seifer is sure. _She__is__so__much__like__her__mother._

They even wanted to help him with Quistis, but stubborn as he is he refused. He glances at his wife on his back as he walks briskly further. _We __are __almost __there._

* * *

><p>After almost three hours of hiking Ellone takes a big intake of breath as she walks under the archway into the stone circle. Unlike what she saw in her dream, in the middle of the circle stands a table made out of stone. She walks closer to inspect it and she can see all kind of symbols carved in the stones, symbols she has never seen before.<p>

"They're from the Ancients," Edea told her while looking at the different symbols "but I can't decipher them, they are different then the once I saw before, but they are definitely Centran."

_I __didn__'__t __know __she __could __reed __Centran. _The symbols are almost like the hieroglyphs the archeologists found in the Kashkabald Desert, she had seen them in a book about ancient writings, but she can't recall seeing these symbols before.

"I think we need to lay Quistis down here." Ellone said while petting the stone table.

Selphie throws the blankets on the table and Seifer lays her down carefully.

_So __we __are __here? __What __to __do __next? _Ellone walks to the head of the table and calls Ayla and Ming.

Rinoa whispers some encouraging words in Ayla's ears and she stands eagerly next to Ellone. "Just stand here and hold your mother's hand." Ellone said to Ayla guiding her to the right side of the table. "Ming the other side if you'd please." Mind does as she is told and the three Blue Mages are connected. _Not __yet. _Ellone realizes, "You two," she said to Ayla and Ming. "Need to hold hands too, you all need to be connected." For them to be able to do that Seifer lifts Ayla on the table next to Quistis and takes a few steps back. "Here we go," Ellone said while walking back to her own place at the head of the table.

Ellone places both her hands on Quistis temples', even though her powers don't need physical contact something inside of her urged her to make that contact. She closes her eyes and concentrates, she concentrates on where she wants to go and who she wants to see. She opens her eyes and her vision starts to blur.

She could vaguely hear screaming coming from behind her but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She was being pulled into the dream world and she couldn't go back, even if she wanted too. She thought they said something like _'__we __are __not __alone__'_ but she couldn't be sure. It doesn't matter anyway, there is nothing she can do about that, she is already gone to the dream world and someone is waiting for her. Someone she is intending to take back with her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

She could feel the magic, the magic that surrounds the Blue Mages. The moment Ellone brought all of them to the _Dream __World_ some magic surrounded them. Seth, whom is standing closest to it, graces the magic with her fingertips. A yelp escapes her lips.

"A magic barrier," Seth says while flexing her fingers. "But one with a nasty trick. I have never seen such a strong barrier before."

None of them had.

On one hand she is glad that they are protected by the barrier, but it also mean that none of them can intervene, if something goes wrong they can do nothing but stand by and watch. She hates this idle feeling.

With worried eyes Edea looks at the people inside the barrier, they were all standing so still that they almost look like statues, or like time is going much slower on their side. But no matter what is really happening inside, on the outside the minutes tick by and nothing seems to happen.

_How __long __will __this __take? _Edea wonders, she looks around and can see that everyone is tired, she herself is worn out from the long trek through the ruins, but none of them can or will rest until they know that Quistis is safe.

At moments like this she wants to curse _Fate_, why does she have to put her children through al this hardship? First with Ultimecia and Gongora and know again, why couldn't _Fate_ let them alone? But she also knows that if fate didn't intervene, they wouldn't be together. All of them would be lost in another corner of the world, never knowing what and who they left behind and always feeling this emptiness inside them. She can't curse _Fate, _she knows if they had to choice between knowing each other and going through all this hardships together _or_ living quietly but apart, every single one of them would choose to be together, even Seifer. He made mistakes from which he has learned from and he has redeemed himself.

Edea is proud of all her children. Individual they are strong, but put them together and they are a force to be reckoned with.

A soft pulsing sound returns her gaze back to the barrier and she can see the magic clearly now, a blue magic barrier encircles the four woman.

Soft footsteps approach her and Edea sees Selphie coming her way.

"Could you please, um," Selphie is struggling with her words. Not able to finish her question.

Edea has a hunch what she wants to talk about so she says "Sure," and leads her to the entry of the stone circle, out of everyone's earshot. She says nothing but waits patiently until Selphie is ready to see what she wants to say.

Selphie jumps from one foot to the other and leans closer to Edea to whisper in her ear "I am pregnant."

Edea wasn't surprised, she was the one that encourage Selphie to take a pregnancy test, and she had seen those signs before and was sure that Selphie and Irvine would finally have children off themselves. She knows they will be great parents, just as Quistis and Seifer are.

"And he proposed to me."

She didn't see that one coming. Irvine was never one to commit himself to anyone, like he said he is a loner. But they had been together for many years and he was not a loner anymore, he had changed and so had she. Edea did wondered how long it would take before Selphie herself would propose. _It __is __a __wonder __she __could __wait __this __long._

"I am so happy for you," Edea takes Selphie's hand in her own "for both of you," after kissing Selphie on both cheeks she embraces the petit woman. Their little family is growing again and she can't wait to welcome this little one into the world, hopefully a world without these kinds of troubles they are facing today.

Walking back to the others, with a relieved looking Selphie by her side, she can see not much had changed. There was nothing else they could do than wait.

The silence lingered in this sacred place until Rinoa leans on the nearest stone and starts to breathe heavily through her nose.

"What's wrong?" Seth asked.

"We are not alone," Edea said through clenched teeth. The emptiness where here sorceress powers used to reside in, burns, the pain surge through her body, as she suspect they do through Rinoa's.

The others are watching as both ex-Sorceresses are struggling with the pain, none of them know what to do to help them. Selphie and Sarah try helping them with cure spells but nothing can relief them of their pain.

But after a minute the pain left just as suddenly as it got, leaving only the emptiness inside both women.

After collecting her breath Edea repeated, "We are not alone."

At the sound of her voice Seth, Seifer and Selphie had already drawn their weapons, and not one minute too late.

Three shadows were standing under the archway and were ready to attack.

Seifer blocked the attack from the first monster, who was aiming for Rinoa. "Get back," he shouted and Rinoa stumbled to the other side of the stone circle.

Seth was in a deadlock with another shadow and Selphie was trying to drive the third one back. They were all fighting in such a small space that none of them had any room to maneuver, all they could do was try to block the attacks.

"Move back." Sarah shouted while she was casting a spell. From both her palms a powerful water spell crashed down on the shadows, giving them a little time to reorganize.

Next to Edea Rinoa strapped her blaster Edge to her wrist and helps Selphie. Selphie is being pushed back by the shadow, she is almost standing with her back to the wall, if she is forced against the wall she doesn't have room to swing her Nunchaku's**,** making her vulnerable for the shadows attack. Rinoa's Shooting Star hits the shadow in its leg making him growl in anger, but Selphie slips away from the monster and follow Rinoa's example and hit him behind his knee's, making him buckle over. The shadow lies on his stomach and Selphie chokes him with her Strange Vision. His struggles are futile, he is dead.

_One __down, __two __to __go._

Rinoa and Selphie move over to help Seth and Seifer dispatched the other two shadows. Seifer is fighting with all the anger he is feeling inside of him, he is slashing away at the shadow and Edea can see multiple wounds cover its chest, but still the shadow fights on. Seifer forget his own defense and the shadow hits him with its claws in his stomach. The fabrics of his clothes are ripped and blood seeps from the wound. Once again Rinoa comes to the rescue while Seifer finish the shadow of. Rinoa places her hand on Seifer's stomach and heals the wound immediately, leaving nothing but four faint scars.

_Two down, one left. _

Selphie and Seth had dispatched the last of the shadows and Seth wipes the blood from her sword.

_Thank __goodness, __they__'__re __gone._

But Edea is wrong.

Through the ruins dozens of shadows move in their direction.

Seth is the first to notice them and warns the others, "There are more."

All of them take protective stances around the stone table, waiting for the shadows to come.

Edea curses under her breath, she hadn't stocked many magic spells, she never expected that they would be ambushed here, but she too will have to fight. Thankfully she does have plenty of offensive spells. Without wasting time she cast protect, shell or cure whenever necessary.

_This __place __is __cursed. _She thinks while casting protect on Sarah, merely seconds before the monsters claw would have ripped her arms of, but the protect spell saved her arm and her life.

Right now she wished she had her sorceress powers back, her magic is nowhere strong enough to harm these creatures. The few flare spells she had cast didn't even harm the shadows. It was like they were getting stronger every minute.

All around her there was fighting. It was their luck the shadows where only approaching them from the north and that they passed through one archway, because there they couldn't move more then three shadows at a time, but their numbers were much larger. At this moment the realization hit Edea hard, they were losing. _We __can__'__t __keep __this __up._

She worries for Selphie, she is pregnant but still she fights the hardest to protect her family. Seifer is slashing away at the shadows, but every single one he dispatches is being replaced by two others. Seth is fighting with the same spirit but Edea can see the tiredness creeping in her body. Rinoa fight with everything she got, but physically she isn't as strong as the others and her magic powers are just as useless as Edea's are right now. Sarah has also forfeited her magic and is slamming away at the shadows with her staff, she has no time to cast any offensive spells, and she is having trouble blocking the shadows attacks. All of them rely on Edea and Lisa for their healing and both of them can barely hold on.

_I can't keep this up. _

Her offensive spells are depleting, she must think of something, or they will all die here.

A surge of magic energy comes from behind her and Edea glances back for one second, and in that one second she is blinded by a bright white light.

And then.

Nothing.

* * *

><p>After he had said his goodbye's to his wife he had taken Irvine and Zell with him to look for Slade Flynn. Laguna had assigned three bikes for them so they could check the outskirts of Esthar. For hours they had search, but found nothing. They were standing at the gates of Balamb Garden, Irvine and Squall are leaning on their bikes waiting for Zell to return.<p>

"He sure is taking his sweat time," Irvine complains. "We should go back to Esthar."

Something had happened to Irvine the last day, but Squall couldn't put his finger on what. Irvine was more on edge than ever. For Squall to see the normal laid back Irvine so on edge, is unnerving him.

He is sure Ellone can bring Quistis back, but this strange feeling in the pit of his stomach makes him wish that he had gone with her, but his mind told him nothing wrong could happen. He also knows that Rinoa can take care of herself but he can't stop the feeling that he has to protect her, he had promised to be her knight and he is adamant to fulfill his promises.

But all this thinking is unnecessary. Rinoa is alright, and soon, Quistis will be too.

Before Squall could reply Zell came back running. "Cid is taking care of everything here. Nida is doing a lot better and Xu is already headed for Esthar, she should be there already." Zell rambled.

While they were here Squall wanted to check on Garden, but he knows if he walks in he will be hammered with questions, question he doesn't want to answer. So instead he asked Zell to go and see how everyone is doing.

Squall climbs on his bike and rides back to Esthar, closely followed by Irvine and Zell.

In Esthar they return their bikes and walk the last part through Esthar's main street. It was almost diner time so it was quiet on the streets, most people had already left for their homes.

Squall's mobile phone starts ringing and he picks up his phone while Zell and Irvine check the weapon shop.

"_Leonhart. How are things down there?"_

"Caraway?" Squall can't hide his surprise, earning him a chuckle from Fury Caraway.

"_Yes, how is my daughter doing?"_

"She is fine."

"_I believe you have been looking for Slade Flynn?"_

How his father in law would know about Flynn, Squall doesn't know. Nobody had informed Caraway about what has been happening the last two weeks, and he didn't think Rinoa did tell him. Even though they were on speaking terms, Squall didn't think she would have called her father, even on something like this what affects them all.

"_Your father has asked me to look for him, although I am curios at what he did, if you are searching the entire world to find him." _

So his father called, he shouldn't be surprised but he is. Squall shrugs his shoulders and listens to Caraway, and to the important information he claims to have about Slade Flynn.

"_In Deling he slipped through my fingers, my men had him but he escaped."_

Squall hears the anger and disappointment in his voice.

"_He has been sighted near Winhill."_

"Winhill?"

"_Yes, I thought you would like to search him for yourself. My men have failed once, I don't want them to fail twice. He has been seen entering the Manson. Maybe you could look for him there first?"_

"Thanks for the call," Squall said and he hung up the phone.

Squall grabs his jacket from his chair and says to Irvine and Zell "Let's find Laguna," together the three men continue their way. "He has some things to explain," the last part was said with a smile.

Xu is already talking with Laguna when they enter his office.

"Squall, great timing. I believe Fury has already informed you?"

"He did," Squall replied while crossing his arms. "Why didn't you tell me that you called him?"

Laguna rubs his head awkwardly, "You already had a lot on your mind, and I just wanted to help."

Squall sighs, "I know," he knows his father just wanted to help, but sometimes he whished he would just tell him what he is doing. He put those thoughts aside and ask his father "Why Winhill?"

"We don't know," Xu answers "We have been speculating, but we simply can't find any reason why he would hide there."

"What are we going to do Squall?" Zell asks.

"We look for him, obvious. Right Squall?" Irvine said while smacking Zell in the head playfully.

"Ouch. What was that for?"

Before both man could continue their playful bickering Squall said, "We will go, but not right now."

"What," both men exclaimed at the same time.

Squall is hesitating, he too wants to go to Winhill as soon as possible and find Flynn, but he also wants to wait on Rinoa and the rest. They should be back in a few hours, he wants them all to be together if they face him. He knows that the longer they wait, the smaller they chance is that they will find Flynn but on the other hand, as the go to Winhill right know they will be their by nightfall and there is no way they can find Flynn in the middle of the night. Nor does Squall wants to take that risk. He still can see clearly what he did to Dr. Odine, Slade Flynn is a dangerous man.

"I agree with Squall," Xu said after awhile, "we will go to Winhill tomorrow."

"I too think that is the best option for all of us," Laguna said leaning back in his chair, "and the good news is that tomorrow the Ragnarok will be airborne again."

That was the best news he heard all day. "So it is decided then, we will leave tomorrow. Xu if you-"

"I am already on it." Xu said, even before Squall finished his sentence.

"I will help you." Kiros said and together they leave Laguna's office.

"So since that has been taken care of," Laguna begins "shall we go and grab a bite? I promised Ward that I would visit him after diner, I think he would like it if you'll join me."

Since there is nothing else Squall could do at the moment he says, "Okay," and follows his father to the kitchen.

Irvine and Zell race to the kitchen like little children.

Laguna chuckles and Squall shakes his head, _some __things __never __change._

* * *

><p>She is scared, she can't see a thing. She knows she isn't where her father is, so she must be near her mother, but she can't see a thing.<p>

_Dark. _

_All she can see is dark._

_She is running. From what or whom she doesn't know. _

Her eyes get used to the darkness around her and she sees Ayla shivering not far away from her. She approaches the little girl and clasp her little hand in hers. She wanted to say that everything would be alright but the words won't leave her lips.

_All she knows is that she has to keep running. _

_Something is tugging at her heart, urging her to go faster._

_One foot in front of another. Faster and faster she runs._

_The trees fly past her, but she does not see them._

She has been her before, she knows what to expect but still Ellone is scared. But she knows that she isn't alone, Ming and Ayla are around here somewhere, but where?

_All she can see is dark. _

_A root is making her fall. _

_She is hurt, blood is seeping from her arm._

_But still she knows she must keep running._

Holding Ming's hand tightly Ayla looks at her surroundings. The dream is familiar, but she doesn't want to think about what awaits them at the end of this dreams. She is scared and she clings to her great aunt.

_Her long blond hair is flying behind her, much like a cape. _

_Her blue-purple eye look frightened._

_Her hands are clenched into fist, her knuckles have turned white._

It is like watching a movie, everything around them moves except them, Ming is feeling lost, she doesn't know what she has to do. She doesn't even know where Ellone is and if she would be with them at all in this place. Ellone's powers are still a mystery to her, but right now she has to focus on Quistis. Hyne told Ellone that she and Ayla could bring Quistis back, but she doesn't know how.

_Suddenly she stops running, it feels like she has walked at a wall._

_She can't go any further._

_She grabs her whip in her right hand, ready to strike if necessary._

_Nothing comes._

_Nothing except for the shadows._

Suddenly she is standing next to Quistis, but Quistis doesn't see her. Ellone places her hand on Quistis' shoulder but it moves right through her. Confused Ellone looks to what happens next.

_The moon has come in the sky, a soft light illuminates the place she is standing at._

_A stone circle. Eight pillars stand in a perfect circle, with eight stones perched on top of these pillars horizontally, creating an archway. _

_She is standing in the middle of it._

_From under every archway shadows appears. Shadows of monsters._

A voice is whispering in her ears, a soft and beautiful voice. She speaks to Ayla calmly and ask her to concentrate on her Blue Magic. Ayla has never heard her before but she trusts that calming voice and concentrates hard. There is only Blue Magic she knows and she frowns.

_The stars begin to sparkle and she can see the shadows clearly._

_It frightens her what she sees._

_The first monster closes in, his fang raised, ready to kill her._

Ming too hears that voice, even though she never spoken to this woman herself, she knows who it is. She tightens her grip on Ayla's hand and she tries to find the Blue Magic inside of herself, although it is long gone she can still feel a little bit of that magic left. She concentrates hard on that last bit of magic and she too closes her eyes. A blue wind begins to whirl around the two women.

_His sharp claws hit her in the shoulder, she had no time to defend herself._

_The second, third, fourth, all monsters come running towards her._

_All ready to attack, ready to kill her._

Finally she spots both Ming and Ayla. They are standing behind the shadows, they are holding hands and Ellone can see the magic swirling around the Blue Mages. Ellone's eyes return to what happens in front of her, she still can't do anything but stand by and watch idle while the monsters try to kill Quistis.

_Her blue eyes turn to purple. Her blond hair turns a soft shade of blue._

_A blinding white light engulfs the stone circle._

_The light depletes and the shadows are gone._

_But so is she._

Three women remain in the ruins in the _Dream __World._ Not knowing what happened to the fourth one.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Bright, the light was so bright that she had to cover her eyes with her arm. It was only after she moved her arm slightly down that she felt heat spreading to her limps, she wasn't feeling cold anymore. For so long she had only felt cold that she almost got used to that feeling. There was one time though that she did feel the warmth spreading in her chest, at that time she was speaking with someone, but she can't remember who it was. But she does remember that this person promised to bring her back.

_But __back __from __where?_

She drops her arm down and opens her eyes slowly, the light depletes and she can see her surroundings, but what she sees is shockingly.

_Is this still a dream?_

All around her shadows are lying on the ground, the same shadows that have attacked her for so many times in her dreams or whatever that was, and every single one of them is dead.

_What happened? _

Her eyes have still trouble adjusting to the bright light that at first she didn't notice her friends and family near her. But when she did she feared for one second that they are death, but to her relief she can see all of them breathing.

_Am I back? _

She was feeling so tired but she knows she has to check on all of them. Slowly she slips down from the stone table and the first person she sees is her little daughter lying on the ground, surrounded with the shadows.

_Why is she here? Why would they let her come?_

So many questions and al of them have to wait, for now. She tries to lift her daughter but she has not enough strength in her arms, so instead of lifting her she tries to shake her awake, but with no results. This shouldn't be a surprise, her daughter had the same sleeping habits as her father has and they were both hard to wake. Making sure her daughter is comfortable, or as comfortable as can be on the cold ground, she walks around the table and sees Ming and not for from her Ellone laying. They too appear to be asleep so she tries to wake them, with the same results as with her daughter.

_This must be a dream. My mind is playing games with me._

But somehow she knows this isn't a dream, but she still doesn't know what happened. Further ahead her other friends and husband lay unmoving. She walks to them but the strength leaves her legs, she uses the remaining strength she has to crawl over to her husband. She doesn't have the energy to try to wake her husband, so instead she lies down next to him and closes her eyes. She has to rest, even if it is just for a while.

A soft, warm, hand cups her cheek. "Wake up child," a woman said.

Quistis opens her eyes to see the most beautiful woman she has ever seen leaning over her. It takes her a few minutes before she realizes she has seen her before. "You have saved us ten years ago."

The woman nods her head and stands up-straight; she exchanges her hand and lifts Quistis to her feet.

Quistis wasn't feeling tired anymore, she was feeling quite the opposite, she felt strong, powerful. She felt like she could take on the world, she could…

"You have to wake up child," the silver haired woman repeated gently.

For just a moment her new powers were taking over her mind. Quistis is still weak from what happened to her and she has to be careful, otherwise her powers will consume her as they did with so many Sorceresses before her. She knows she is stronger than her powers so she shoves those thought back to the back of her mind.

The woman walks around the stone table until she is standing next to Ellone, "You need to help her."

"How?" Quistis was still a bit wobbling on her legs so she has to lean on the stone table while walking back to her daughter. She sits down next to her daughter and lifts Ayla in her arms. She leans back against the stone table and sighs, "What must I do?"

Her existence starts to fade away, like she can't stay here any longer. "Use your healing powers," she said before she disappeared.

_My healing powers? _

Looking at the sleeping form of her daughter she knows she has to try anything she can. Placing her daughter softly on the ground she climbs on top of the stone table. She twirls around to see the entire area outside the stone circle filled with the shadowy corpses.

She doesn't want to look at the damage she probably created, she knows she is somehow responsible for all of this, but instead she looks at her friends and family. Looking at their sleeping forms she gathers the strength inside of herself, she needs to perform her strongest healing magic.

Quistis breaths loudly through her nostrils and stretches her arms beside her body, whispering: "_White __Wind_." White magic circle around all of her friends before it disappears again.

Her legs started to wobble extremely and she sits down on the stone table, exhausted.

One by one her friends start to wake up; all of them are still a bit dazed. Ayla is rubbing her eyes while Seth is rubbing the back of her head. Seifer stands up slowly and whistles at the defeated shadows lying near them. Rinoa and Selphie help each other to check for any wounds but they can't find any. Ming and Sarah are standing over Ellone who has her head perched atop her legs, complaining about a headache. Edea walks slowly to Ayla and she is the first one to notice that Quistis is awake.

Quistis can see the tears forming in her Matron's eyes and she gasps loudly while running towards her.

At the sudden movement of Edea all of them turn their heads to see Quistis sitting atop the stone table, very much awake.

Everyone started to yell, cheer and hugging each other. Everyone wants to make sure Quistis is alright and they all hammer her with questions.

All she said in returns is, "I am back." She softly pushes everyone away from her and walks to Seifer and Ayla. All she wants is to have her family close to her. For minutes the three of them are simply standing in the ruins of the battleground, hugging each other tightly.

Their little family is whole again.

Quistis eyed her friends watching their small reunion and asks, "What did I miss?"

* * *

><p>He had just received the good news, but now was not the time to celebrate. They still need to find the culprit who is behind all of this.<p>

Sitting in his old office he has the feeling like he had never left this place, but he hasn't been a headmaster for many years, this is Squall's place now. But sitting here felt so comfortable and familiar that he resumed to his role as headmaster without trouble.

"Sir, they are here."

"Send them in," Cid said to the SeeD and waits for the SeeDs he requested to come in.

The doors of the office opens and a grey haired woman and a bit tanned men enter.

"Fujin, Rajin. Thanks for coming at such short notice."

"What can we do for ya? Ya know," Rajin said while shaking Cid's hand.

Cid asks them to sit down and he himself leans back in the leather chair. "We've got a lead on Slade Flynn."

Rajin and Fujin shift forward in their chairs. They had just returned from their mission and they weren't informed about anything that happened in the last few days. "Two days ago he was in Esthar and he has murdered Dr. Odine."

Rajin gasp loudly but Fujin remains sitting still.

"Yesterday Fury Caraway called, Slade Flynn has been spotted in Winhill, at the big mansion."

"Winhill sir? Why would he go to Winhill?" Fujin asks.

Cid shrugs his shoulder. "We don't know yet, I have discussed this with both Xu and Laguna, but we can't think of any reason for him to be there."

Rajin is shifting uncomfortable in his chair. "You want us to go and find him?"

"I know you have just returned, but yes, I would like you to go to Winhill and see if he is still there."

"Just us two?" Fujin cocks her head a little to the right. "What about the others?"

"They are waiting till Quistis is back in Esthar. I know you would also like to see her, but still I-"

"Hold on," Fujin intervened. "Quistis is back?"

Cid nods his head.

"Back as in _back,_ ya know?"

Cid nods his head again.

"When? How?"

Cid hates to do this, but he knows he must. "I will explain everything once you are back. I know you want to see your friend, and so do I, but we can't. Not yet." Cid closes his eyes in frustrations and continues a bit slower, "We must know about Flynn's whereabouts."

Rajin wants to say something but Fujin stops him with putting her hand on his arm. "We will go, Sir."

"Thank you. Take this car," Cid throws some car keys to Rajin who catches them swiftly, "and go to the abandon train tracks. A train will be waiting for you there and take you to Winhill."

"Squalls car?" Rajin asks while looking at the keys in his hands.

"You'd better hurry before he finds out you took his car," Cid said with glee in his eyes.

Rajin laughs loudly and Fujin snickers while they leave his office.

When he is alone again he turns his chair around so he can see the skyline of Esthar. He knows that Squall would have gone to Winhill himself if he had the chance, but when he had Squall on the phone earlier that day he could see that his doubt was clearly troubling him. He wanted to find Slade Flynn himself and bring him back to be put to justice but he also wanted to wait for his family to return. Cid had made the decision for him; he would send some SeeDs to check Winhill. If Flynn is still in Winhill, Squall and the others can take the Ragnarok. He knows it would be foolish if all of them step on that plane, they can't be sure he is still there. They could start a race around the world to find him. No, it is better to dispatch a small team, especially a trustworthy team who knows what is at stake.

He does feel slightly guilty that he doesn't even aloud to let those two see their friend return safely, but they are the only two he can trust this with. He knows they will track him down and keep an eye on him. They have always been discreet and he relies on them for that.

Fujin knows why he asked them, he could see that in her eye. Fujin is an expert in putting her emotions aside and concentrate only on the task ahead. Rajin is the complete opposite, he should try to learn to control his emotions better, but he is loyal and he too will get this job done.

Cid knows he has sent the right people, but why does he still feel like he is missing something important?

* * *

><p>A great weight had been lifted from his shoulder when he heard that Quistis was back, really back.<p>

Xu had come rushing in the infirmary and for a second Nida thought that something bad had happened, but then he saw a beautiful smile gracing her lips. Without thinking he had pulled Xu closer to him and kissed her and she had kissed him back. He still can't believe he had kissed her, but it felt so good that he can't wait to kiss those lips again.

But sadly he will have to wait. It was a short drive to Esthar and both of them where really excited to see Quistis again. Nida wanted to apologize to Quistis and when he had Quistis just shook her head and _thanked _him_._Just like Seifer had said she would.

Quistis had walked up to him and thanked him. He was so shocked that he couldn't say anything in return. She had hugged him carefully; he is still walking with crutches, and wished him a well recovery. The entire group had walked after her and some of them clasped him on the back and asked him to join them in the cafeteria. He had laughed softly and told them to go ahead; he needed a little break before he could go any further.

At the entrance of the cafeteria he saw Xu watching the group silently with a cup of coffee in her hands. The coffee smelled so good that he decided to get his own cup, but for that he had to walk back to the kitchen and since he can't walk with a cup in his hand he had to drink it in the kitchen, alone. After he was done he walked back to the entrance to see that Xu is still standing in the same spot.

"She'll be fine," he said standing next to her.

Xu nods her head. "I know that. But she should also be thinking about herself, she can't go on like this."

"I think the doc agrees with you," Nida said with a grin.

Silently they wait to see how Dr. Kadowaki will order Quistis to go to her room. To his surprise she follows her without resisting. Xu follows behind the doctor and Nida walks over to the table filled with his friends.

"Hey Nida, how are you doing?" Zell said while he slides a chair back for Nida to sit on and one chair to put his leg on.

"Good. Just one more week and I can throw these crutches away," Nida said while sitting down and resting his sore legs. "Taking a SeeD exam is nothing compared to walking on crutches."

"Maybe not yours." Zell snorts, earning him a slap from Selphie.

"Just because he did follow orders and didn't get into any trouble, doesn't mean you have to give him a hard time." Selphie said while glaring hard at Zell.

The terrified look on Zell's face was too much for Nida, he can't help but snicker at his expression and not long after that all of them where laughing out loud, with Zell laughing the hardest.

After the laughter died down a tense silence filled the room. Everyone was thinking about tomorrow, but none of them wanted to put that subject on the table. Nida can't stand the silence any longer so he asks, "What are you going to do tomorrow?" He had wanted to ask 'we' instead of 'you', but he knows he is in no condition to help them.

"We'll have to wait before we receive word back from Fujin and Rajin, I want confirmation that he is still in Winhill first, before we will leave." Squall said.

"And if he is there? Then what?"

"We take the Ragnarok and then we will catch Slade Flynn and bring him back to Esthar where he will get a trial."

How he whished he could still pilot the Ragnarok, but he can't, _no __use __thinking __about __that __now. _So instead Nida asks, "Who is going?"

A chorus of "yes" and "I am" filled the room. Everyone, except for Nida, volunteered to go.

"You're not coming," Both Squall and Irvine said at the same time, but it was directed to two different women.

"Yes I am." Both women said.

"You're not a fighter Elle."

"I know I am not a fighter," Ellone said, "but that doesn't mean I can't come."

Squall is too tired to even start arguing about it, so he let it rest for now and everyone turns to the bickering Selphie and Irvine.

Nida follows his gaze, but he can't help but wonder if Squall will let Ellone go with them. He isn't so sure if that is the best thing to do, considering what Slade Flynn did to Ward and Dr. Odine.

"No you're not!" Irvine yells.

"Yes I am!"

"No! You. Will. Not."

Selphie stamps with her feet on the floor with every word, "YES. I. AM."

"STOP!" Zell screams.

Both Selphie and Irvine stop yelling at each other but they are still sending each other dead glares.

Nida rolls his eyes and asks Irvine calmly, "And why can't she come along?" He knows they need Selphie, and he knows that Irvine knows that too. But why is he so adamant about her not going?

"She is pregnant!" Irvine shouted but he turned white when he realizes what he had just sad.

_That explains everything._

Everyone was shocked and Rinoa was the first to recover from it and congratulates both Selphie and Irvine. "When did you find out?"

"Before Kaim's funeral," Selphie answers.

Rinoa's eyes widen, "So when we were fighting-"

Selphie nods her head and Rinoa gives Selphie a hug, "Is the baby fine?"

"The baby is fine," Irvine replied. "But you can't go on like this, you have to be careful."

The discussion started from the beginning again and Nida zoned out for a bit, listening with only half an ear.

In the end it was decided that both Selphie and Ellone can both come along, but they are to stay inside the Ragnarok at all times.

Reluctant both of them had agreed before all of them returned to their own room.

_Just one more day, then all this mess will be over._

* * *

><p>She could see that her friend is exhausted, but still she goes on like the last few weeks never happened. She is chatting away happily with her friends with her daughter sitting in her lap, almost asleep, and she is holding her husbands hand tightly.<p>

The smile on her face is real but her eyes don't smile. _She __has __been __through __a __lot. _Xu sips at her coffee and watched her best friend struggling to keep awake without the others noticing.

If she didn't know that this is who Quistis is, she would have snapped at everyone to leave her alone so she can rest, but Quistis isn't like that. Even though she was the one each of them had worried about the last few weeks, she is now making sure all of them are alright. According to Seth she hadn't slept during the long flight back home, even then she was checking on everybody.

"She'll be fine," a voice next to her said. Xu glances to her right to see Nida leaning on his crutches next to her.

Xu nods her head. "I know that. But she should also be thinking about herself, she can't go on like this."

When Xu heard the news that Quistis was back she had been so happy that she had run all the way to the infirmary to tell Nida the great news. Nida too was happy with this news, he was so happy that he didn't think about what he was doing, but he pulled Xu towards him and kissed her. Xu was shocked at first but returned the kiss. They only broke apart when Dr. Beckett coughed politely behind them with a smile on her face. With her red face she asked if she could take Nida with her to Esthar. Dr. Jennifer Beckett gave the ok immediately and helped Xu with packing Nida's stuff, saying: "Lisa can look after you there." In no time they were in Esthar waiting for their friend to return. After hugging Quistis tightly and ordering her to never leave without her again she had stood back to see the events unfold. They all went to the cafeteria and here she was now, leaning against the wall in the back of the room.

"I think the doc agrees with you," Nida said with a grin.

Nida was right, Dr. Lisa Kadowaki was walking in the cafeteria and by the looks of her face she wasn't all too happy with Quistis and she told her so. "Didn't I tell you to take it easy?"

Quistis looks up and she swallows before answering, "I am taking it easy, I am just enjoying a meal. I haven't had a decent meal in some time."

Her answer earned her a few snickers, but not from the good old doctor.

"If you do not go to your room right now I will take you to the infirmary and you sure as hell won't be able to escape from there."

Knowing Dr. Kadowaki isn't joking Quistis shrugs her shoulder and stands up still holding her daughter. "Well, I see you all tomorrow." Quistis said as she left the cafeteria with Seifer and Ayla. Dr. Kadowaki walks a few inches behind them. Xu pushes herself from the wall and follows the doctor while Nida walks over to the table.

She can hear the happy greetings past between them but she doesn't really listen to them. Xu had just turned the door when she sees Lisa holding a sleeping Ayla in her arms and Quistis is leaning heavily on Seifer. Xu shakes her head and places Quistis free arm over her shoulder and helps her to her bedroom.

Now is not the time to lecture Quistis, if Xu was in the same position Quistis is in, she probable would have done the same. But she still feels she should have done something sooner, she could have dragged her to bed sooner. On the other hand, Quistis would simply have refused and told her she is fine, while she obviously isn't.

When Quistis starts to stumble Seifer lifts her in his arms bridal style, reaching their room Seifer places Quistis on the double bed and removes her shoes before covering her with a blanket. Seeing the same tiredness in his eyes Xu told Seifer to get some sleep himself while she will put Ayla to bed. Grateful Seifer touches her shoulder lightly before slipping in the bed next to Quistis.

Leaving the couple alone Lisa and Xu walk to the next room. After putting Ayla to bed Lisa walks out of the room but when she sees Xu taking a seat in the chair next to Ayla's bed she asks, "Are you going to stay with her all night?"

"I think I will," Xu replied while stroking Ayla's hair out of her face.

Lisa nods her head and she mumbles before she closed the door, "One down, now I have to get the next one to his bed."

Xu knows she is talking about Nida, he has been out of his bed all day, and she feels sorry for him. Dr. Lisa Kadowaki can be mean if she wants to, especially to patient who don't follow her advice.

Ayla shifts in her bed and mumbles, "Mommy saved us all," before she tucks her thumb in her mouth and falls asleep again.

_Sleep__tight, __little __one. _Xu bent over to kiss her forehead. _Sweet __dreams._

She hadn't even had the time to ask what had happened back in the ruins in the Centra region. Seth had told them they were attacked by shadows and that Quistis had saved them, but that is all she knows. She wanted to hear the details, how was Quistis able to save them while she was in a coma? She should have asked further but she knows it wasn't the right time, but the curiosity is almost killing her. _Maybe __I __should __go __back __to __the __cafeteria?_

Before she had made up her mind Rinoa walked in the room. "Oh, sorry. I didn't now anyone was here."

"That's okay, I could use some company."

Rinoa closes the door and takes a seat on the other side of the bed; she lowers her voice so Ayla won't wake up. "Are you alright? I saw you in the cafeteria but you didn't join us."

Xu shrugs her shoulders.

"I know you are worried about Quistis, but we all kept an eye on her. If Dr. Kadowaki didn't send her to bed, I certainly would."

Xu crosses her arms. "I don't think you would succeed. You know how stubborn she can be."

A giggle escapes Rinoa lips, "So that is why you didn't do anything, but you could still have joined us."

"I know I could," Xu uncrosses her arms and stretches her arms while yawning. "But I think my curiosity would get the better of me and ask about what happened. I didn't want to spoil the mood."

Rinoa cocks her head while saying, "How about I satisfy your curiosity now? If I can, I will answer any question you have."

"Okay then. Tell me what happened, what _really_ happened."

So she told about the ruins, the stone table and the shadows. They were greatly outnumbered, she was sure they would all die there, but then a bright, blinding light came out of nowhere. When she woke up she was healed again, a powerful _White Wind_ spell had cured them all. When Rinoa woke up the shadows were gone and Quistis was sitting on the stone table. At first none of them noticed her, Rinoa herself was worried most about Selphie, she did have a huge gash on her arm but when Rinoa checked the wound, it was gone. It was only after she heard Edea gasp loudly she feared the shadows were back, but to her surprise Quistis was sitting calmly atop the stone table, like nothing had happened. They had to hike back for hours and all of them were exhausted, still Quistis walked the entire way and stopped to talk with every single one of them.

"It was like she wasn't tired at all, but now I realize she was even more tired than all of us together," Rinoa yawns and stands up. "I am going to get some sleep, you should do the same."

Xu nods her head and whished her a good night sleep. She knows she isn't going to get any sleep tonight; her mind is too busy to comprehend what happened in the last three weeks.

In the end sleep did claim her and she fell asleep in the chair. Although it wasn't that comfortable, it was the best night filled with rest that she got in a long time.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

He was put into surgery for his ankle, it was already badly damaged but whit him participating in the fight against Stigma Weapon, after he had just escaped from him, he had done a lot of damages to his feet, the doctors had no other choice than to operate him. The doctors told him that, in the worst case scenario, they would have to amputate his feet. For one moment when he woke up he was afraid he had lost his feet, but to his relief he still has both his feet, although it will take some time before he will be able to use both of them again.

He was sad he couldn't be at Kaim's funeral, at that time he wasn't aloud to leave his bed, not even for a funeral and till this day he still wasn't aloud to leave the hospital. Despite that he couldn't leave the hospital, there was never a dull moment in the Estharian Hospital.

After his surgery Laguna was one of the first to visit him, although he had only visited him once and he didn't stay that long, he is still proud that his president himself had taken the time to visit a wounded soldier. A soft clasp on his shoulder made him already feel a lot better.

His fellow soldiers wouldn't believe that the president had visited him the day before, nor would they believe that he had fought alongside him, but they also couldn't explain how else Cody would sustain such injuries. They were all making fun of Cody, to which he already had gotten used to and if the roles were reversed he would have joined them, but he was still getting tired that they didn't believe him. When he was about to burst out in anger and tell them to leave his room Kiros walked through the hallway, and when he saw Cody he walked into his room to help him out. He told his fellow soldiers roughly about what happened, they were all dumb folded that Cody had spoken the true and from that moment they all treated him with a lot more respect.

_That reminds me, I still need to thank him for that. _

Kiros had been on his way to see Ward, and it was only then that Cody remembered that Ward was also in the hospital. He had asked the doctors for permission to visit him and if he would take it easy and stay in his wheelchair, a nurse would bring him to Ward. He had taken it easy, but he had stayed with Ward for hours, playing every card game they knew. One day they had been playing cards when someone walked by their room and he invited himself in. Ward hadn't complained and Cody had raised his eyebrows. The man told him who he is and since then they had become friends, Nida also was in the hospital, but his luck is that he can leave.

One day Nida had come into his room followed by a doctor he hadn't seen before. Nida had introduced them and he told Cody that she is the one who saved his feet. Cody didn't know how to express his thanks, but she had only laughed and told him it was no big deal.

Even Sarah had visited him, that visit is edged in his memory. Two days ago she had walked into his room and he could see that she had been crying. He can't even begin to comprehend how she must be feeling; loosing your husband is never easy but especially if he was your husband for thousands of years. She didn't speak nor did him; he just took her hand and gave her all the support he could give her. They had been sitting like this for some time when Sarah started to talk; she talked about Kaim and their daughter. She told him the names of their grandchildren and their children and so on. She talked about them with so much love that he envied those children, they always had a loving person in the world while he spent most of his time alone, when he was a child the only relative left was his grandfather, but with him gone he is truly alone. She even spoke about the time she had spent with his grandfather. She talked and talked and he listened until he fell asleep. He hopes she will come again soon.

Being in the hospital mostly meant you're not as good informed as otherwise, but for Cody it was his luck that he was in the hospital. If he could work he wouldn't know what was happening, as a soldier you are on an _only need to know basis, _and he didn't need to know much. But with spending some time with Ward and Nida he had found out that Squall had found Slade Flynn's location and that they would bring him back to Esthar. If he has the chance he would like to be in the courtroom to see justice being served.

_Just one more day. _

With nothing else to do but wait he decides to go see Ward, he wants to win his money back which he had lost yesterday and if he is lucky, even Nida will come along and play a game.

_One more day for you Slade Flynn._

* * *

><p>He was bored out of his mind.<p>

For the last two days he had been hiding in Raine's old bar, keeping a lookout for the mansion, the mansion in which Slade Flynn resides in. Two days of waiting and watching and more waiting and nothing else. He wasn't aloud to do anything to provoke that man. After what he did to his friend he wanted to get him himself and drag him back to garden, but he can't, or so Fujin reminded him not too friendly.

When they took refuge in this abandoned bar they saw Slade Flynn enter the mansion, and he hadn't left since then. Fujin had asked around in town if they knew who he was but most of them didn't even know the mansion was being used again. Rajin had checked around the mansion and he hadn't found any other entrances then the front door, if Flynn wanted to leave then it should be through the large doors in the front.

Rajin couldn't believe that was the only exit in the mansion, Slade Flynn is smart, he wouldn't be hiding in a place where there is only one exit, there must be some secret passage somewhere but that can be anywhere.

Fujin had talked to an old lady by the flower shop and she told her that she had been a housekeeper for the former landlord. She guaranteed that the only exit is in the front, the former landlord was a suspicion man and had blocked the back entrance, nobody could get in or out from that side of the mansion.

But even with all this information they hadn't see Slade Flynn leave the mansion, but they also hadn't see him inside the mansion. True, you can't see the entire mansion from the bar, but still a large proportion is clear and according to the former housekeeper the rooms in the front are the living room and the bedroom, rooms which he should use. _Or does he know he is being watched?_

But none of that matters, just a few more hours and everything is going to be alright. Squall had contacted them and told Fujin they were on their way to Winhill. Because he didn't dare fly to close to Winhill they would fly to the outskirts and walk the rest of the way. That would slow them down drastically but they couldn't afford for Slade Flynn to see them flying overhead and him running away again.

Rajin stomach start to grumble and he glances to the bar where Fujin is fixing them some diner. He had been sitting in the same chair for hours and his but hurt, but thankfully his shift is almost over. With his mouth watering Rajin looks back to the mansion and is shocked to see a shadow of a man standing in front of the windows.

"FU!" Rajin yells and in an instant Fujin is leaning on his shoulder to look at the spot which Rajin points at.

"It's him," Rajin hears the frustration in Fujin's voice. Like himself she had wanted to go after this man herself but she had her orders and she will follow them. "I wish Squall would hurry."

_Me too._ Although Rajin is sure the man in the mansion is Slade Flynn he can't help but feel a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. _If he is here we can finally get the man who is responsible for all this shit._

With their dinner forgotten both SeeD watch Slade Flynn until he walks back into the room and closes the curtains, and it is only then, that the smell of burned toast reaches their noses.

"SHIT!" Fujin exclaims and she runs to the now black toast. Frustrated she throws the _black beauties _in the trashcan and makes new ones.

Rajin doesn't leaves his eyes from the mansion while he eats his toast, it is only after Fujin gently nudge him that he leaves his spot in front of the window and Fujin told him to get some sleep. "It's a long day," was all she said and he knows she is right. It will take some hours before the others are here and if they arrive he needs his full strength.

Two hours later he was roughly woken up by Fujin's shout, "They're here!"

Stretching his body, he climbs out of the bed and puts his boots on. His Bō staff is lying on the ground within arms reach and he takes his familiar feeling staff in his hand. Jumping down two steps at a time he arrived just in time to see everyone walking in Raine's bar.

He thinks it is quit ironic that they use the same bar that Squall's mother used to run, and if what the villagers said was true, Squall was born in.

Seeing Squall he was a bit afraid of his reaction, he did use his car and left it at a deserted train station, but Squall didn't mention any of it. _Maybe he doesn't know yet? _

Beside Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, Zell, Xu and Seth entered the bar. Rajin was a bit surprised that Seifer wasn't here; he thought he would want to be here but on the other hand he is glad he isn't. They have enough strength here; he should be with his wife who needs his strength. But he is wondering where one of their other friend is, one he would have suspected to be here. _Wouldn't she be flying the Ragnarok?_

"Where is Selphie? Ya know."

"She is waiting in the Ragnarok," Rinoa said finally after nobody answered Rajin's question. "Together with Ellone."

He had wanted to ask more but the look Fujin send him made him stop.

"Is he still inside?" Squall asks Fujin.

"He is," Fujin nods her head. "He hasn't left the mansion for the last two days."

Seth leans on the back of Fujin's chair to have a better look at the mansion. "Is he alone?"

"We think so, ya know."

"We haven't seen anyone else near the mansion," Fujin said. "Nor does anyone in this town know that the mansion is used again."

"That's strange," Zell mumbled. "But that doesn't change anything, right?"

"No it doesn't," Squall uncrosses his arms and put the curtains aside to peak outside. "We will wait until nightfall, and then we make our move."

Seth relieves Fujin from her watch and she goes up the stairs to get a few hours of sleep. The others are too anxious to get any sleep so they just settle in the bar.

Rajin walks around the bar and kneels down to search for something in one of the kitchen cabinets.

"What are you doing?" Zell asks leaning over the bar to have a closer look at what Rajin is doing.

"I am searching," Rajins voices is muffled. "For this," he said proudly and shows Zell what he had found.

Zell is dumb folded when he sees a package of hotdogs. "Where did you get those?" He almost demanded to know.

"Um, just around the corner is a shop, ya know," Rajin replied a bit confused. "I bought them." Zell looks to get, well Rajin can't really describe how Zell is looking, but it is scaring him.

Laughingly Irvine comes to Rajin's aid and places a hand on Zell's shoulder to calm him down, "You'd better make him some hotdogs' fast, before he get murderous."

Rajin swallows before saying, "I'll make them right away!"

* * *

><p>Seven SeeD and one ex-immortal move slowly towards the mansion, using the shadows to make their approach unnoticed. They move quietly alongside the bushes until someone stumbles over a branch.<p>

"Shit!" he exclaims when he almost stumbles and would have dispose their cover if it wasn't for Xu who grabbed his jacket and prevented him from falling.

"Quiet Zell," Xu hisses while still holding onto his jacket.

"Thanks," Zell whispers back and follows after Irvine towards the mansion. Xu follows his example and they continue their slow trek.

They had waited for two hours before the sun had finally set and everyone had prepared for this final battle, Xu had the feeling he wouldn't cooperate and come with them quietly. _They never do, why would he be different? _

Before all of them even made an attempt to get inside the mansion, Seth and Xu had checked the mansion and came to the conclusion that they couldn't get through the windows as their plan was. Bars were placed for every window on the lower floor and there was no way they could get to the windows on the top floor. Because the front door was the only way in they had no other choice but use it, even if Slade Flynn will know that someone is coming for him.

The door was locked, of course, so Irvine and Squall place some explosives on the door and hide behind the wall. Counting with his fingers from five to zero Xu presses her fingers to her ears to reduce the sound of the explosion.

_Bang!_

A large piece of the heavy wooden door is blown away and smoke circles around the door.

_We've come knocking on your door. _Xu thinks while grabbing both her handguns, waiting for Squall to give them the clear to enter the mansion.

When the smoke is gone Squall and Irvine enter the mansion and within a minute one of them called, "Clear," and everyone climbs through the gaping hole in the door. Everyone spreads around in the hall but Slade Flynn is nowhere to be seen.

"We need to search the other rooms," Xu said. _It never will be easy, does it?_

Seth remained behind in the hallway and the others were searching the entire first and second floors but they still didn't find him, nor did they find anything that would point at his stay here, or anything that would explain why he is hiding here in the mansion.

"That leaves the basement," Zell said while cracking his knuckles.

There was a reason why they hadn't checked the basement yet. A stone spiral staircase so small only one person can go up or down at a time and it is a long way down in the dark. If they go down in the dark they can loose their footing easily and fall down a long way, but if they go with a light Slade Flynn will be able to see them coming from a long way. He then will have enough time to lay a trap for them.

Seeing as the first one is not an option they had all unanimous decided they will go down with a few torches. Because they will be vulnerable they will walk into a trap they need to figure out who will go first. Before anyone can say something Seth had stepped up.

"I'll go first," Before anyone can interfere she continued, "I've already lived for a long time," and that explains all.

Seth goes down first with a torch in her hand and Irvine makes up the rear with the rest in between them.

Because the stone steps of the stair are small and slippery their progress down is slow, the light of the torches shine upon everyone's faces and Xu can see the fear and angst but also the determination to finish this once and for all.

They are relieved that nothing happens at the bottom of the stairs but they also don't see Slade Flynn.

Putting their torches in the holders Xu looks around the room. The entire basement is actually a giant wine cellar, rows and rows of large barrels are dividing the large room in multiple corridors. The moonlight shines weakly through small windows high in the walls, too small for anybody to climb through but even before these windows are bars placed.

With no other choice but to split up again and search in the corridors it is Xu and Rajin who finally found Slade Flynn. Rajin calls the others, but Xu has the feeling that something is wrong. Slade Flynn is hunched over a bottle of red whine and he ignores them, purposely? Xu doesn't know.

When everyone is standing around them, still with their weapons drawn, Slade Flynn slowly lifts his head up and he spoke with an inhuman voice.

"YOu've fALlen FOr iT aGAiN. THIs Is tHe SecONd tiME, dOn't YoU EveR LEArn?"

"What's he talking about?" Xu asks confused as she sees Squall's, Rinoa's and Zell's shocked expression. "What does he mean?"

Before any of them can answer Slade Flynn stands up, still with the bottle wine in his hand, and he stumbles toward Fujin who is standing closest to him. Fujin steps away just in time to avoid the flying bottle which was aimed to her head. Wasting no time Fujin throws her Chakram at him, she has hit his left arm and her Chakram fly's back into her hand again. The shots of Irvine's Exeter and Xu's handguns follow Fujin's attack and he is hit multiple times in his chest and stomach. But the blood that is seeping from his wounds is not red.

"It's Gerogero!" Squall screamed when he found his voice again.

_A Gerogero? Wasn't that the same monster that pretended to be President Deling during the Timber Mission? But if this is a Gerogero, where is the real Slade Flynn? _

Everyone, except for Seth, had heard about that mission and the monster Squall, Zell and Selphie had to fight on their first SeeD Mission, but Seth didn't need an explanation to know that this means trouble.

Xu's eyes shift back to the Gerogero and Slade Flynn's body is transformed before their eyes. The foul stench accompanies his transformation and Xu is trying her best not to puke. It is like watching a man pulling of his own skin; all which is left of him are his muscles and blood veins.

"It's an undead monster," Rinoa shouted and she starts to cast _cure_ magic at the monster. "Physical attacks won't work against him."

_Damn. _Xu hoisters her guns and she starts to cast _Firaga_, she hadn't stock many _cure _spells and she didn't want to use the few ones she has left. While Rinoa, Fujin, Zell and Xu are casting magic spells Squall and Seth fight the Gerogero head-on and Irvine is standing ready with potions, echo screens and eye drops.

It didn't take long before the first barrels were shattered and wine spills down on the floor. Squall and Seth are having trouble keeping their footing and they stand back while the others still use their magic.

Xu was already feeling the drain of using to many magic spells in such a short time, she knows she can't hold this on much longer but it seems the Gerogero is much stronger than the last one some of them faced. She had to think of something, and fast.

_The wine!_

Looking around her she knows they must be able to use the wine in their advantage, and suddenly an idea formed in her head. "Everyone fall back!" Xu screams while she draws her guns. As soon as everyone has moved to the other side of the room Xu starts too shoot the barrels next to the Gerogero , the wine spills on him and he is drenched in rum, vodka or wine, Xu doesn't know and doesn't care. _Die, you son of a-_

"_FIRAGA," _Xu's scream fills the entire basement and Xu hopes the others understand what she is doing and are ready to deal with the aftermath.

Her spell wasn't aimed at the monster, but at the puddle of liquor he is standing in. Her spell ignites a spark and the wine is starting to catch fire. Xu runs through the corridor to the exit of the room to stay in front of the fire which is consuming the Gerogero.

Next to the last barrels the others are looking shocked at the damage that Xu made and after they see the monster falling down on the floor they all start to cast either _Water _or _Blizzage _spells.

Thankfully they were able to put the fire down quickly before it could destroy more of the mansion.

Zell stamps on the last few embers and he walks to where Gerogero body should be, but it is gone. All that is left is a huge puddle of water mixed with liquor. "Where is the real Slade Flynn?" Zell asks while kicking the water.

Everyone had the same question, but none of them has the answer to it.

Not knowing what else to do here the make the long and quiet trip back up to report what they found, or rather what they didn't find.

Irvine was the first one to climb the stairs and at the end he suddenly stops. Xu was walking behind him and wonders why he is waiting. Looking past him she sees a door, Irvine tries to turn to knob but nothing happens.

_There wasn't a door here before, was it? _Seeing the others face, as far as she can see them on the spiral stairs, none of them saw that door before.

Irvine gives Xu his torch and he tries to open the door with force but the door won't bulge. "We can't get out, we're locked in!"

_Not again._

* * *

><p>After they had eaten diner in a fancy restaurant Seifer and Quistis walk hand in hand on the Esthar main road, Ayla is hopping in front of them, singing a song.<p>

_It can't get any better than this,_ Quistis thinks.

Since she was _back_ again she had slept for almost two days in a row, so it wasn't that strange she was hungry when she woke up. She had showered and dressed and didn't have to wait long for her daughter and husband to find her. When Ayla noticed her mother she ran to her and jumped into Quistis arms, hugging her tightly. Soon a pair of strong arms is also wrapped around her, involving Quistis in a family hug. After hearing Quistis' rumbling stomach Seifer had proposed to get some diner, Ayla mentioned a small diner where Edea and Cid took her and she found that food very _yummy!_

"A gil for your thoughts?"

"Just thinking," Quistis replied. "About everything that happened, you know."

"I know," Seifer said softly and Quistis can feel the pain in his voice, the pain that Seifer had been going through the last few weeks. She had been blaming herself for the hurt she put her friends and family through, but before she could apologize to anyone Rinoa had pulled her aside and told her that nothing of this was her fault and she was not to blame. She believes Rinoa but it still hurts to know that you hurt your loved ones, intentional or not.

"But you're back, that is what matters most."

Quistis stops and turns Seifer's face towards her own to place a soft kiss on his lips. "Thanks," Quistis said after she pulled away.

Seifer says nothing but kisses her, but they are interrupted by their daughter's scream of attention, "Hurry, I want to go to the park."

Quistis feels Seifer's smile forming on his lips before he parts from her and he runs after their daughter.

She can't believe she is so lucky to have her own family, she never thought she would get married, or let alone have a child.

Seifer has finally caught up to his daughter and swings her in the air, carrying her high in the air until they arrive in the park. Seifer puts Ayla down and she runs straight to the swings, Seifer and Quistis sit down on a bench nearby. Seifer drapes his arms around her shoulder and she leans into him.

Both of them are content with watching their daughter play.

"Did you know that Selphie is pregnant?" Quistis asks out of the blue.

Seifer nods his head, "Irvine told me before they left. When did she tell you?"

"On the flight back to Esthar," Quistis replied while shifting closer to Seifer. "She knew she was pregnant and still she took the risk to lose her baby to help me."

"That's who she is, you know that."

"I do know, but still, for her to take such a risk. What if she had lost the baby?"

"She hasn't, so stop worrying about it."

"Do you know where she is? We all need to catch up."

Seifer hesitates before answering, "She is in Winhill." He explains to her that they were going to Winhill and that they had found Slade Flynn. Hearing his name brought shivers down her spine, she was glad they had found him but she hopes that they will be careful.

Before Quistis got the chance to say anything Seifer continued. "She won't fight; she will stay in the Ragnarok, and so does Ellone."

Although Quistis would have rather see that her friend was here, far away from the dangers, she is at least glad she doesn't needs to fight. Although she thinks that both Selphie and Ellone shouldn't be in Winhill, she knows that Squall and Irvine will make sure they are safe.

She doesn't want to think about _who_ they are after so she instead focuses on her daughter. Ayla has left the swings and is now playing on the slides.

Placing her head on Seifer's chest she listens to his heartbeat and Quistis cannot stop her eyelids from closing.

A sharp intake of breath from Seifer wakes her up from her daze. Bewildered she looks around, trying to see what is wrong. Following her husbands gaze she sees a man standing next to her daughter, normally she wouldn't worry too much about it but seeing how tense Seifer is she wonders if she knows who this person is. Before she has a chance to ask him he was already walking to the man, his hand placed loosely on his gunblade.

Looking closer to the man she has the feeling she has seen him before, but she can't recall from where. Something inside of her tells her to get her daughter away from this man so she too makes her way to her child.

Seifer had just walked past the swings when he suddenly drops to his knees, Quistis runs to him and searches him for any injury, and she can't find anything but he is struggling with breathing. Seifer pushes her away and fear is etched on his face, turning around she sees that the strange man had knocked Ayla out. Anger seers through her vines while she runs up to the man who hurt her daughter. Even though she hadn't seen the man's face before she knows who he is, _wasn't he supposed to be in Winhill? What is he doing here? _Wasting no time she uncoils her whip and is ready to strike when the man put Ayla on his shoulder and with his left hand he holds a scepter.

The scepter starts to glow and Ayla and the man are gone.

_Find me. Look for me. Come to me alone, or she will pay the price. _

His words ring in her ears, she has no idea where he has taken her but she will find out. And if she finds him she _will_ come alone, she wants to kill him herself, but will the others let her?


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"What's taking them so long?"

"What did you say?" Ellone asks.

"What's taking them so long? They should be back already."

"You think that something happened?"

Selphie shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know. It is just a feeling I have."

Irvine had called her five hours ago that they would make their move in another hour. That means they have been searching for Slade Flynn for four hours already, they should have found him already. Selphie can't take it anymore; she walks to the radio station and starts to call them, _screw protocol!_

She tried to call everyone, but none of them answers, frustrated she punches the table with her fist until Ellone places a hand on her shoulder. Looking into her scared looking blue eyes Selphie can hit herself for beginning about it; Ellone wasn't worried a bit before, but now?

_I need to do something._

Jumping back in the pilot seat she starts the engine of the Ragnarok, Ellone sits down in the co-pilot seat and she buckles herself in. Selphie lifts the plain in the air and it doesn't take them long before they are at the outskirts of town. After putting the Ragnarok down on the ground Selphie tells Ellone to "Wait here."

Ellone starts to protest but Selphie stops her, "I need you here, if something happens to me you'll have to call Laguna." Selphie grabs her nunchaku and straps them on her back. "Lock the door behind me and don't let anyone in."

After Ellone promised to wait inside and don't let anyone in except her, Selphie walks into town.

It is in the middle of the night so there isn't a single soul outside, and by most of the houses the lights are already out, obviously they are already sleeping.

Entering Raine's bar she isn't that surprised that there is no one here, if they were they would have answered her calls. With no other choice but to go to the mansion she grabs her nunchaku and holds it tightly in her hand. The front door of the mansion is destroyed by an explosion but Selphie can see it was made by a SeeD explosion, _that's right. There wasn't any other way in. _

Tiptoeing in the hall she doesn't hear a sound. She knows they must be here somewhere, but where? Searching the entire first and second floors she doesn't find anything. _Where are they? _Sitting on the steps of the giant stair in the hall she remembers the last time she had been here. They had been looking for pieces of a vase when the armor in the hallway started to move. Zell had been so scared he jumped a few feet in the air and Quistis had just laughed at him and told him there were no such things as ghost. As it later turned out a chicobo had been hiding in the armor. The landlord had found this all amusing and he had given them a bottle of wine from his basement.

_The basement. _She hadn't looked there yet. Finding the door she thinks that leads to the basement she is disappointed that she can't open it. Kicking the door in frustration she is surprised she hears muffled voice coming from the other side, familiar voices.

"IRVY?" She shouts.

"Thank Hyne Selph, it's me." Selphie had to place her ears on the door to hear her fiancé. "We're locked in, can you get us out."

Selphie wants to ask if they have Slade Flynn with them and how it is possible that they are locked in, but those questions will have to wait. "I'll try." She replied and she looks for anything that can help her. She doesn't find anything useful and when she walks in the hall and sees the front door she remembers she has a small pack of C4 with her, it can be dangerous, but it may be there only way out. _It's worth a shot._

Back at the closed door she tells everyone to, "Stand back." And she tells Irvine about the C4. She puts the explosions on the door and waits for a few minutes, she wants to be sure they aren't still anywhere near the explosions. "Hole in the wall!" Selphie shouts and the C4 explodes exactly at the right place for only the lock to break and nothing else. Relieved Selphie kicks the door out of its hinges and she yells "its all clear!"

A few minutes later Irvine is the first one up and he wraps Selphie in hug, "I'm so glad you didn't listen to me. Another hour in there and I would have gone mad."

"Who says you aren't already?" Zell said teasing walking past them to the front door.

Everyone is relieved they are finally out of the basement and when they walk into the dark town the all spent a few minutes just breathing in the fresh, cold air of Winhill.

"What happened?" Selphie asked after some time. She had patiently waited for them but now she wants some answers.

"He was a fake, it was a trap." Irvine said.

"But then, where is the real Flynn?"

"That's what we are going to find out," Squall replied before walking towards the Ragnarok.

Everyone follows behind him and it is in that instance she noticed that one of them is missing, "Where is Seth?"

* * *

><p>She had wanted to make a call to Esthar to either speak with her uncle or mother but something inside of her told her to wait, nothing is wrong with her friends and they will be back shortly. But every minute she has to wait is making her more on edge.<p>

Checking her watch she sees it has only been twenty minutes since Selphie left. It would take roughly ten minutes to get at Raine's bar, so it will take some time before Selphie and the others will get back.

Peering outside she can see nothing, it's a clouded day and no stars or moon can be seen tonight. Curling on the bench she can do nothing but wait, it's dead quiet in the Ragnarok and Ellone dozes off.

_She is standing in a ruin in Cetra, she recognizes the architecture but she doesn't know where she is. Walking on the stone path she spots some kind of name plate. She brushes the dust from the plate and she sees the words 'My Blue Heaven' written in beautiful blue letters. _

_She follows the path until she reaches a small round square. In the middle of the square stands a statue and on the right side of the statue lay three broken pillars, blocking the way. Taking a closer look at the statue she sees it is actually a statue of two women standing back to back, a crown is placed on both their heads inducing they are of royal lineage. She feels like she knows these women, but she can't remember of ever seeing them before. _

_Waking past the statue she sees a small stair, it looks like it is hanging in the sky. There is no railing but when she steps on the first step a spurt of magic forms a steady railing. Reaching the top of the stairs she is at another square, similar to the one before but there isn't a statue here._

_Another stair with a railing of magic and she is at the entrance. Ellone thinks it looks almost like the entrance of a castle. To her surprise the doors open without much trouble so she walks in cautious. Inside everything is made out of large grey stone bricks. There is only one way she can go and she follows it until she reaches a small platform. Climbing the stairs she places one foot on the floating cubic and after making sure it will hold her weight she stands on it completely. Slowly the cubic rises to the next floor. _

_A small but high tower deprives her view. Halfway the tower she can see light coming from a room, but the only way to get there is too climb the ladder with is carved out of the stone wall. Looking around the tower she can't see any other way to get into it, nor is there anywhere else she can go too. She knows she will have to climb the tower and she has the feeling to hurry up, like somewhere a clock is counting down to zero and if she is too late…._

_For once she is glad she doesn't wear her favorite white skirt but she had instead chosen to where some old khaki pants. Making sure she can hold a good grip on the rungs of the ladders she climbs up carefully, she doesn't want to fall down. Thankfully she isn't afraid of heights but she is glad when she finally reaches the room halfway of the tower. _

_She is shocked to see it is only a small room without any doors to get further in the tower. Trying to catch her breath she sits down on a stool and for a minute she is afraid that this entire climb was for nothing. But her eyes catch a control switch and without thinking about any consequences that could follow, she turns the switch. The tower starts to shake slightly and a loud rumbling sound fills the silence. Ellone presses herself against the wall, as far away as possible from the exit, and she wait until the shaking stops. After she is sure the shaking had finally stopped she holds the wall tightly and peeks outside, nothing had changed. Taking one final look in the room there isn't anything useful that would help her; she climbs back down, defeated. _

_Letting go of the ladder she notice a pedestal, which wasn't there before. Approaching it slowly she sees it looks almost exactly like the switch she had turned earlier. She pulls the switch, the ground starts to shake like an earthquake and Ellone holds one arm tightly around the pedestal while, with the other, she protects her head. She peaks through her arm and she sees a lot of stone steps protruding out of the tower. Together they form a stair all the way to the top. She knows she has found her way further again. _

_Holding her left hand against the tower the entire way she walks up with a quick pace. When she is at the top she sees a door, she tries to open it but it is locked. Walking back slightly she sees another stair going up, but something inside of her tells her this is were she must be. Inching closer to the edge of the platform she sees another ladder cut out from the wall. It is a short ladder so she decides to climb that one first. On this ledge is another statue, but where the statue down in the square was beautiful and looked peacefully, this one is much darker and scarier. She remembers seeing statues like this in a book, they were called gargoyles, and a bright red stone was placed in a hole for its eyes. This one was in its left eye, but where was the other one? She tries to take the red stone out of its orbit, the stone slips out of the statue and Ellone catches it with both hands. When nothing happens she puts the stone in her pocket and climbs down again. _

_The door still won't move and she decides to walk the stairs up. This stair leads to the top of the building, a dome with a small path around it. Steel levers are attached to the dome and they go all the way to another gargoyle statue, on top of the dome. This statue is exactly the same as the last one but the stone in its eyes is reversed, this one is placed in its right eye. Taking the stone from her pocket she places it in the empty slot. A loud click sounds and on a pillar to her right a fire ignites. She can see five numbers burning in the fire, she repeats the numbers in her brain and she puts the first stone out of its orbit. The fire disappears and Ellone also removes the second stone. _

_Climbing down the levers and the stairs and climbing up the ladder she puts both stones in the empty orbits. She hears the same clicking sound and a tablet appears next to the stone and on the pillar a fire ignites. At the tablet she writes the numbers down and she can see the numbers burning in the fire. When the last digit is inputted the fire dies down and she hears the sound of a door opening. _

_Climbing down the short ladder she sees that indeed the doors have opened. It is only know that the adrenaline rush wears out and she feels how tired her legs and arms are, but she can't dwell here, she must move forward. _

_She sees she has walked into a throne room. Rows of pillars are on the sides of the room. In the back of the room is a large throne, and on that throne sits a knight. When she spots the knight she stops dead in her tracks, he looks a lot like Odin but that isn't possible, is it? The knight stands from his throne and in a few steps he is standing in front of her, "So you've come." He said before he disappears. _

_She walks around the room but she can't find the knight, she does however spot a large painting behind the throne. Taking a closer look she sees that it is a painting of the square at the bottom of this place, with the statue of the women. _

"_Who are you?" Ellone wonders out loud while tracing the women faces with her fingers. _

"_It's a statue of two crown-princesses from long ago, Kristy Numara and Seth Uhra, this statue was made when both of them were Queens. Those two queens became great friends when both of them ruled over their countries. Odin has saved both their lives." _

_Ellone recognizes the voice and she asks "how do you know that?"_

"_How do I know?" Sarah laughs softly, "I was there when that statue was build."_

"_What are you doing here?" Ellone walks away from the painting, "Do you know why we are here, and where here is?"_

"_We are at Centra ruins, it is where Squall fought against Odin and he was granted his help." Sarah stands next to her daughter and looks at the throne, "for why we are here? I am as clueless as you are."_

"_So we are in the dream world." Ellone had expected that much, but who had brought her here?_

"_I brought you here." Hyne sits down on the throne and the knight stands slightly behind her. _

_Ellone lowers her eyes but Hyne walks towards her and lifts her head up so Ellone looks her in the eye. _

"_I have a final warning. At this moment the last threat for the Blue Mages is close at killing them both. If he isn't stopped he will destroy the world." Hyne returns to the throne and crosses her legs at the ankles, her hands lie idle in her lap. "I knew he would be back, but I can't stop him. That is why I sent the Immortals back, but I couldn't do that without them losing their Immortality." A single tear slips from her eyes when she looks at Sarah, "I am sorry."_

"_It isn't your fault," Sarah said determined. "It was his own choice, he choose to save the world. I am proud of him."_

_Ellone is glad to see and hear that her mother is finally able to move on from Kaim, but that is quickly replaced by the fear of losing Quistis and Ayla. "What's happened?" _

"_You'll find out yourself," Hyne replied. "Be quick, you don't have much time."_

_With those world the throne rooms turns dark and she knows she is waking up._

"_Be careful."_

With those words she woke up, or was it from the shouting outside? It doesn't matter, she must warn the others. To her relief she sees all of them waiting for her to open the doors; she opens them and waits for them anxiously. When they are all in the cockpit she tells them, "Quisty and Ayla are in trouble, Hyne told me."

With these words everyone springs into action. Squall walks to his sister and holds her in his arms.

"We must save them. If we don't, the world will fall apart!" Ellone said while clinging to Squall.

* * *

><p>She knew something was wrong even before she saw their faces.<p>

Ming was with Edea visiting Balamb Garden, for Ming it was the first time in that large building so Edea had given her a quick tour. The tour ended at the third floor in Squall's office, which was now used by Cid for the time being.

Cid had been lost in thought and Ming wondered what he had been thinking about. When he saw them a smile graced his face but Ming felt like that smile was too forced, and so did Edea.

"Is something wrong honey?"

"I am not sure," Cid replied rubbing his nose. "I have had this feeling for the last two days that I am missing something, but I don't know what."

Cid changed the subject himself and they started to talk about the time that Ming was visiting the orphanage when everyone was still little.

The voice of Cid's, actually Squall's, assistant came through the loudspeakers. "SeeDs Trepe and Almasy are here."

"Send them in," Cid said still laughing. They were just talking about the mischief their children competed in.

But seeing their faces all laughter died down.

Edea stands up and Quistis runs in her arms, "He has taken Ayla," she said between sobs.

No one needed to asks who she is talking about, but Ming does wonder, _wasn't he in Winhill? Has he been all along here in Esthar, right under our noses? And what does he want with Ayla? Where has he taken her? _All those thought are pushed to the back of her mind when she sees Seifer shifting uncomfortable from one foot to the other, he is barely able to contain his own tears. She places her arms around Seifer and she just holds him close, she doesn't know what else she can do. She has to be strong for them; she can't help them if she is weak.

She focuses on Seifer and asks him what has happened. He tells them what had happened in the park, how Flynn was able to stop Seifer with some kind of unknown magic and that Quistis couldn't reach Ayla before both of them were gone. They were closer to Balamb Garden then to Laguna's place so they ran all the way up here. He is glad all of them are here, but now they need to find Ayla before Flynn will do anything to her.

Cid is already on the phone, no doubt talking with Laguna. She doesn't hear what Cid is saying, but she does hear something else. _Use your necklace, _a soft voice whispers in her head. Her hand travels to her necklace and Seifer looks at her questionable. She let go of Seifer and sits down in the chair, instinctively she closes her eyes and concentrates. Something inside of her tells her to focus on who she wants to find, _Ayla. _

Flashes of images form in her head; she recognizes some of the places she sees.

_The Great City of Esthar._

_An abandon train station. _

_FH, Timber. A beach. _

_The Ocean, a boat._

_Centra._

_Orphanage. _

_Ruin._

_My Blue Heaven._

She opens her eyes and said, "I know where she is."

Two hours later Ming is sitting in the _Hermiod, _a smaller version of the Ragnarok, and they are on their way to the Centra region.

When she told them she knew where Slade Flynn has taken Ayla, Quistis had gone from concerned mother to SeeD mode and she had told them she would go alone. Of course Seifer didn't agree and they did get involve in a huge fight. It took the combined force of all three of them to calm them both down.

Ming however did agree with Seifer, they can't let go Quistis alone to him, Seifer isn't the only one who wants to go.

Cid had tried to make contact with the Ragnarok but somehow he couldn't, he would be worried if he didn't know they were after the real Slade Flynn, whatever takes them so long they will be able to take care of it. Cid needs to focus on his granddaughter first.

Sarah and Laguna had run all the way from the palace to the airport, Sarah told them everything was alright with the group in Winhill but they couldn't reach them, therefore Laguna had decided to wait in the airport hanger, if they didn't reach them before they got here, he can inform them about what is happening.

Sarah told Ming about the dream she had, that Hyne warned them about what would happen if all the Blue Mages are death. Ming was shocked to hear that but that doesn't change anything, they still need Quistis to save Ayla, it is a risk they will have to take.

They are already flying over the ocean and she can see the Centra region already. Sarah is sitting next to her and is fumbling with her hands, like she doesn't know what to do.

On the other side of the plane Quistis and Seifer are cleaning their weapons, Ming knows that this is how they deal with the pain they feel inside.

It was only the four of them, but that was all they needed for their plan. Quistis was of course the bait, Sarah and Ming have to make sure nothing happens to Quistis and if they can they need to find Ayla and keep her safe. Seifer is along to fight Slade Flynn; together with Quistis they must be able to take him down.

Ming stares out of the window of the _Hermiod _and she hopes that Ayla is alright, _I'll find you, I promise. _

* * *

><p>When they found out they were locked in and they couldn't get out of the basement Seth was the first one to turn around and go down the stairs again. She knows there is no use in all off them waiting at the top of the stairs; there must be some other way out. Irvine stays by the door, incase someone does come, and Zell stands halfway the spiral chairs so he can communicate with both Irvine and the others in the basement.<p>

Reaching the basement Seth chuckles at the mess they made when they were fighting against Gerogero. "Those were some fine moves you had there," she said to Xu who is standing next to her.

Xu grins, "Thanks." Before she starts to search for a way out.

Although it is a mess in the basement after their fight, it did make their search easier. A lot of the barrels had been destroyed so they only had to watch out that they didn't slip on both the water and liquor.

But nobody found anything.

The windows could be their only way out if the bars weren't placed before them or if they were a bit larger. If she would squirm she could perhaps fit through them but the men certainly wouldn't.

"Nothing, ya know." Rajin said while kicking at a broken barrel. "There is no way out of here."

"What now?" Fujin asks their leader.

"We'll have to wait; our radios don't work down here." Squall replied. "If we're lucky Selphie will come looking for us."

Seth didn't doubt that Selphie would come looking if they take too long, but that will still take some hours before she will be here. In the meantime Slade Flynn is still out there somewhere and she didn't dare to think about what he could be doing while they are all stuck down here.

Squall walks up the stairs to tell Zell and Irvine the bad news while the others wait down in the basement.

With nothing else to do Seth sits down on one of the few dry spots along the wall and Fujin, Rajin and Xu follow her example. They had been sitting there for fifteen minutes when a bored Rajin started a guessing game and they all participated in it. For two hours they had played all kinds of games and Seth had enough of it, Xu and Fujin had already stopped after one hour and they were dozing of on each others shoulder.

Rajin stood up and told her he was going to head up, Seth nods her head and Rajin runs up the stairs two steps at a time. _He really isn't the person to sit and wait, _Seth thinks grinning, _nor am I. _

She walks around in the basement, stretching her arms above her head. It is with that movement that her left wrist begins to sting. She lowers her hand and looks at her wrist but nothing seems wrong. The stinging starts to increase in pain and Seth has trouble to stop from whimpering. She places her right hand around her wrist but she pulls it back immediately when she notices how hot her bracelet is. She has worn this simple golden chain with purple gems for so long that she almost forgets she still wears it. It was a gift from someone, but she can't remember from who, or when.

The pain increases and Seth knows something will happen, a yelp escapes her lip and Xu and Fujin are looking concerned at her.

"What's wrong?" Xu asks the ex-immortal.

"I don't know," Seth replied with gritting teeth.

"Shall I get the others?" Fujin asks insecure.

"It's too late for that," Seth said and the dark engulfs her.

When she woke up she was sitting in a huge chair, it was only when she had jumped off the chair and turned around that she saw that it was a throne, _But where? And for who?_

Cautiously she walks around in the room but nobody is around, she walks out of the room and she stands on the edge of the platform and she looks around at the view. It must have been a great castle once but not much is left of it, most is in ruins.

She could watch here for hours in awe, but she doesn't have the time. Somehow she was brought here and there must be a reason for it. Looking around she can go either up or down, but after seeing the view she makes the choice and goes down. She walks down the spiral chair around the tower; at first she is shocked to see the magic railing. If that magic reaches all the way to the end she could be noticed, but she has no other choice but to go. She takes the cubic lift down and she walks out of the building to the first square.

Still she doesn't see or hear anything.

Before she walks to the next stair she hears voices, she steps away from the stairs and hides in the bushes. On the square below her she sees Ayla and a man in a blue robe, _Slade Flynn! _Seth thinks angrily.

Ayla is running around the statue but she can't run further because of the fallen pillars that are blocking her way, she tries to climb over them but it is no use, she can't go anywhere. Slade Flynn is approaching her slowly and he says something to her, but Seth can't hear what.

Seth looks around, if there is another way down she can't find it, it seems the stairs is the only way. Slade Flynn will know someone is approaching, but Seth doesn't see any other way to help Ayla. She stands up and grips her sword, _White Ignis,_ steady in her hands, but before she moves her eyes are pulled back to the square down her.

Two red laser beams are sprouting from Ayla's eyes and she had hit Slade Flynn in his chest. _Well done girl! _She yelled inwardly. Seth knows her powers aren't anywhere strong enough to kill him, or even hurt him badly, but this gives her the time to run, so she does.

But instead of running out of the ruins she runs up, in the direction of Seth. Seth stays hidden in the bushes and Ayla runs past her, further up in the ruins. Ayla is running around like someone is guiding her, _maybe there is? _

Seth doesn't have time to find out, Slade Flynn has finally recovered from Ayla's _Laser Eye, _and he walks slowly up the stairs.

_Wait for it, _Seth tells herself. She will wait until he has walked past her and then she will make her move. She hopes she can finally take care of this man, or at least slow him down. _If Ayla is here the others will soon be here too right? _

She doesn't have time to think about that, she needs to concentrate otherwise Slade Flynn might kill her. She didn't forget how he had killed Dr. Odine and what he did to Ward.

The moment he walked past her bush she was hiding in she jumps and brings her sword down. She was aiming for his neck but instead she hit his sword, Kaim's old sword, _Durandal._

Seth didn't think that he had such a fast reaction. But she too was recovering quickly and she brought her sword down again, and he blocked the slash with his own.

The clinging of the swords mixed with their breathing is the only sound in the square.

Seth doesn't know how long they had been fighting, but neither of them gains the upper hand. They fight down the stairs, for a moment Seth thought she had been a goner, but she regained her balance and forced him after her, he had no other choice but to follow her or risk her sword in his back.

Battling they reach the lower square with the statue, Seth glances back at the statue and she knows immediately who and what they represent, but she doesn't have time to think back at that time, Slade Flynn's swords is heading to her head. She is just in time to block his attack with her own.

Their swords sing a song off life and death, _but whose death? _

Slade Flynn is a cunning warrior, but Seth has been a fighter for thousands of years. She has fought in many battles and wars and she has a lot of experience in fighting with a sword, but still she can't gain the upper hand. Thankfully in all the years she also learned a few neat tricks. She knows she can't kill Slade Flynn on her own and she can't keep this up forever. She wants to know how Ayla is doing and where she is, although she has a hunch she is in the throne room.

She is forcing Flynn to his knees, she wastes no time and she kicks some sand in his eyes and follows with another strike of her sword and of sand. It's one of the oldest tricks in history, but surprisingly it still works. Slade Flynn is blinded, but it is temporary. Without looking back at him she runs up the stairs all the way to the throne room. She walks in the room slowly and she is barely able to avoid the twin red laser beams. "Stop Ayla, it is me." Seth said rolling over the floor.

Ayla stops her attack and the little girl runs to her. Seth is still on the ground from rolling away from Ayla's _Laser Eye _attack so she shifts so she is sitting and Ayla runs into her embrace.

"Shh. It's okay," Seth said softly. "Everything is going to be okay." She strokes Ayla's hair while she keeps a close look at the door.

_I hope the others are here soon, I could use some help. _


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

It has been a long time ago when she had walked these same grounds. Although not many people know, she was the one who found these ruins. Something inside of her guided her to this place over a decade ago and know Ming's necklace was doing the same.

Slade Flynn wanted her to come alone, so she is walking among the ruins all by herself. Of course she isn't alone, Seifer, Ming and Sarah are all close. With the slightest danger Seifer, who is closest to her, is in a position to help her. Ming and Sarah's main job is to find Ayla and make sure she is safe.

_I wish the others were here. _They still hadn't been able to reach Squall, she knows they are fine but she would feel a lot better if they were here to help her. Of course she has Seifer, without him she wouldn't know how she would handle this situation. And Ming and Sarah are a welcome addition and they have already helped them so much, but she wished they had another sword-arm with them.

At the first square there is no sight of Ayla or Flynn. Carefully she walks up the stairs, this is the moment she is most vulnerable, but this square is also void of everything. She signals the others to follow her and she speaks of her concerns.

"Something is wrong, this is the perfect place for an ambush but it seems he isn't even near."

"I know," Seifer looks around the square searching for anything amiss.

"She is here," Ming simply said walking past Quistis and Seifer. Sarah follows behind her silently, hiding behind a crumbled wall of stone.

Seifer urges Quistis to continue and he holds his gunblade tighter in his hands.

Entering the building Quistis walks slowly to the lift, still there is nobody around. She climbs the short stair and she looks up, she can barely see the next level off the building so there is no way she can see if someone is waiting for her up there. She has no other choice but to step on the lift and see so for herself. She waits before Seifer, Ming and Sarah have caught up with her before she steps on the cubic elevator. Her _Save the Queen_ whip is clenched in her hands, but thankfully she doesn't need it yet.

She shouts the all clear down and she looks around. This place looks exactly like it did over ten years ago. Then it took them some time to solve the _puzzle_ to reach Odin in the top chamber, but today they don't have to climb. The stone steps penetrating from the huge, round tower are ready to go.

Taking the first step the magic railing comes to life, one step at a time she walks causally. The others follow not far behind her.

Quistis has the feeling that Slade Flynn might be waiting inside Odin's chamber, _but is Ayla there too? _

She stopped that train of thoughts when she heard the sound of swords colliding. Wasting no time she runs two steps a time and is shocked as she sees what is happening outside.

Slade Flynn is hacking away at the door but it won't bulge, cursing about the woman who locked him out.

"I don't have time for games," Quistis heard him say under his breath. She takes a few steps back and waits until Seifer is standing next to her.

"Slade Flynn is locked out of the room, Ayla must be inside."

Seifer nods his head, "So we take care of him while Ming and Sarah look for Ayla."

All three women nod their heads and Seifer and Quistis stand at the small platform behind Slade Flynn who didn't notice their arrival.

"You've got something that belongs to me," Seifer said angrily. His _Hyperion _pointed to Flynn's back.

Slowly he turns around and Quistis is afraid of his eyes. Two dark pools stare at her with anger and hate. "So you've come," he focuses on Quistis, ignoring Seifer for the time being.

"Where is my daughter?"

"Around here somewhere," Flynn grins darkly, he has his sword in his right hand and with his left hand he strokes his sword lovingly. "But you didn't regard our deal," his eyes shift slowly from Quistis to Seifer. "You didn't come alone."

Quistis didn't want to waste time arguing with this man, she wants to know where her daughter is.

Seifer must have felt her anger because he places his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "The lady asked you a question, it's rude to let her waiting."

"What do you care? You're not going to live long enough to find her." Without a warning he raises his sword in the air and he aims for Quistis.

Quistis rolls out of the way and Seifer blocks his attack with his gunblade. Quistis finishes her roll and squatting she waves her whip above her head and she leaves a mark on Slade Flynn's left arm, but nothing more.

Seifer and Flynn are fighting at the edge of the platform, Flynn is trying to push Seifer down but Seifer is trying it's hardest to turn the table.

Calling upon her Blue Magic Quistis first cast _Mighty Guard _on herself and Seifer, and just in time. Seifer was so focused on pushing Flynn backwards, and moving himself away from the edge of the platform, that he didn't notice the small knife that Flynn threw at him. The knife hit the _protect _shield and it scattered into the abyss.

Quistis follows up with an attack round of her own and together with Seifer they have pushed him towards the stairs that goes up to the roof.

Out of the corner of her eye Quistis sees that Ming and Sarah are trying to get into Odin's chamber. _Please find her. I need to know that she is safe._ Although something inside of her is reassuring her that Ayla is safe, she can't be sure until she sees so for herself.

Seifer and Quistis are trying to side attack Flynn from opposite direction, but he is constantly moving around, they can't do anything but move with him and block his attacks. His strikes are strong and swift and both Seifer and Quistis are tiring quickly at this rate they are fighting.

Seifer pushes Quistis not so gently out of the way and he blocks Flynn's attacks centimeters above Quistis' head. She rolls away but Seifer receives a kick in his side, kicking all the air out of his lungs. At such a close range Quistis is vulnerable for Flynn's attack so she has to fall back on her magic. Her eyes turn a slight shade of purple while she whispers _Bad Breath. _A green fog of smoke covers Slade Flynn and in this small amount of time that he is blinded Quistis moves away from him.

Swinging his gunblade in the air Seifer runs toward Flynn but he has grabbed his scepter and Quistis can feel the magic he is summoning. "Watch out!" She yells and Seifer presses himself against the wall, barely avoiding the _Flare_ spell that was aimed at him.

With his sword in one hand and the scepter in his other he smiles wickedly at Quistis. "Having fun yet?" When both Seifer and Quistis don't react his smile falters. "I'll be waiting for you at the statue," he checks his watch and his smile reappears. "The clock is ticking. You've got five minutes to get down or I _will _kill your daughter." A bright flash fills the sky and Slade Flynn is gone.

Quistis waste no time and she runs down the stairs, closely followed by Seifer. But neither of them checked on Ming and Sarah so they didn't see that they finally moved into Odin's chamber.

* * *

><p>She can hear his curses through the thick wooden doors, and for once she is glad for thick wooden doors. Slade Flynn has been trying for the last twenty minutes to <em>slash<em> his way through the door, but thankfully he still hadn't come through.

She is still sitting in the middle of the room with Ayla in her lap. She knows she has to do something to stop Flynn but she can't leave her alone. It already took a lot of force to make Ayla let go of her so she could put some blockade against the door. She had been lucky this time, a large piece of timber was stood up next to the door. The joist was heavy and she had barely placed it when Slade Flynn tried to open the door. Seth was relieved she had pulled this off just in time, but now they were both locked inside, there was nothing they could do except wait. At the first clash of sword against wood both Seth and Ayla had jumped back a meter. Ayla holds Seth's leg and Seth just watched the door, which was still holding on.

Feeling the ache in her legs she knows she has to move to make them go away. She lifts Ayla from her lap and she stretches her legs and arms. Ayla just stands rooted on the spot, watching her. Noticing her scared look she decides she has to do something.

"You've got to be a big girl," Seth kneels in front of Ayla and she places both her hands on her shoulders, looking in her blue-purplish eyes. "Can you do that for me?"

Ayla nods her head and with the back of her hand she wipes away her tears.

"That's the spirit," Seth ruffles Ayla's blond hair. "Go hide behind the throne and don't come out until I say so. And don't make a sound."

Ayla runs to the throne and hides behind it. When she is out of Seth's sight Seth grabs her sword and waits at the door. _I'm ready for you. _

At the door she hears him cursing and he is still trying to force his way through the heavy doors. But then, just as suddenly, there is silence on the other side of the door. _What is he doing? _

She stands at the door for minutes and she thinks she hears some other voices but she can't be sure. Seth is at a lost, what must she do? What can she do? Maybe it is a trap, she can't remember that Flynn has any henchman but she doesn't know for sure. This man is still a mystery for her. She can't risk opening the doors so she will wait. _Have the others already found a way out of the Mansion? If they're still stuck in there it may take some time before they will be here. _

Seth can feel the frustration rising inside of her chest and she knows she must get rid of that feeling fast. So she walks to the back of the throne and to her surprise there is no one there. "Ayla?" she looks around but there is no trace of her.

"I am here," Ayla said from a narrow niche. It is completely hidden from the room and if Ayla hadn't stepped out of her hiding place Seth wouldn't have noticed her.

"How did you find this place?"

"She told me," Ayla said. "She also said there is another way out," she points to the niche.

_An escape route, why didn't I think about that? _

"Stay here until I say so," Seth pushes her gently behind a pillar. That way she can't be spotted from the niche or from the entrance. "The same rules as before, alright?"

"Okay."

Seth moves to the niche, it is barely large enough for her to move through, but to her surprise a hidden door is at the far side of the niche and when she opens it she is blinded by a bright light. At first she thought it was the sky, but when her eyes get used to the daylight again she sees that it is rather dark outside. _What was that? _

Wasting no time to ponder about that question she walks upon the narrow and steep path which leads to the entrance of the room. To her surprise she sees Ming and Sarah trying to open the door to Odin's chamber.

"That won't work," she said jokingly.

Both Sarah and Ming turn around with their staffs ready to strike and Seth jumps out of the way with a yelp. "Whoa, it's just me."

"Seth?" Ming lowers her staff to look at her friend, "how did you get here?"

"Are the others with you too?" Sarah asks before Seth can even answer Ming's question.

"I am alone," Seth answers. "After we had defeated Flynn's double we were stuck in the mansion and we couldn't get out. Suddenly my bracelet begins to burn and it transported me here."

Ming touches Seth's bracelet and examines it closely, "Where did you get this?"

"I don't know," Seth replied. "Have you heard of the others yet? Is Squall on his way here? What about Quistis and Seifer?"

"Seifer and Quistis, they are here, trying to stop Slade Flynn. Flynn has warped himself away, he said something about a statue."

"We are wasting time here," Sarah reminded them gently. "Do you know where Ayla is?"

_She is right, we are wasting time here. _Seth nods her head and points to the narrow path she came from, "Follow that path, she is inside this room." She points with her finger at the closed door.

"What path?"

At Sarah's reaction she looks back and she can't even see the path she was coming from. She walks back and it is only when she put her first feet on the path that she can see where it is leading her to. "At the end of this path is a hidden door. That leads you to a small niche and Ayla is hiding in the throne room."

Sarah nods her head and walks along the path, closely followed by Ming.

"You take care of Ayla, I will help Seifer and Quistis."

Seth runs to the statue, all the way down, she hopes Seifer and Quistis are alright. Although they are with the two of them against one, but Slade Flynn is a cunning warrior and she doubts they will fear better then she did.

The sounds of clinging swords reach her ears when she moves out of the building. Running the stairs down the first square she comes across is empty, but the sounds are increasing in volume. _I'm almost there._

Next to the statue Seifer and Flynn are _dancing _around each other, their swords and gunblade moving in complete sync. Slash, block, parry. Over and over again.

Quistis is standing slightly to the side, red blood is smeared on her peach outfit. She cast _White Wind _and she is on her feet again, ready to participate in the battle again.

Looking back at Flynn she sees he is not only fighting with Kaim's old sword, but also with a dagger. Before he can uses his dagger again, Quistis' whip is holding it in its grabs and Quistis pulls on the whip. Slade Flynn can do nothing but let go of the dagger. The dagger flies away from him and Quistis twists her whip so the dagger falls to the ground not far away from Seth.

Feeling this is the time for her to enter the fight she picks up the dagger and announces, "That's my dagger." Holding it loosely in her hand she recognizes this dagger. Although it looks exactly as Kaim's dagger, she recognizes this one as her own. She had lost this one to the oceans thousands of years ago. "Thank you for bringing it back to me." Her sarcastic tone was noticed by everyone of them. Seifer grins and Flynn looks, if that is possible, even angrier then before.

With her old dagger in her left hand and her _White Ignis _in her right she walks into the battle fray. "It's time for round two."

* * *

><p>With her back against the wall she moves slowly on the narrow path, it's a good thing she isn't afraid of heights. Just a few centimeters from her toes she looks a long way down past the tower. Twenty meters down from her she can see the stone step they had walked on before, but she knows that even if she falls and she would land on those steps, well she probably won't remember any of it.<p>

One step at a time she shuffles until Sarah suddenly disappeared from her view. "Sarah, are you okay?" She asks her friend.

"I am fine," Sarah replied. "I found the niche."

_Thank goodness. _

The niche was indeed very small, but they made it. Ming looks around the room, it has been so many years when she was here for the first time but nothing much has changed. The last time she was here was almost thirty years ago. She was the one who placed Odin's gem in this place and connected him to these ruins. These are the last ruins of the city he tried to protect, this is where he should be, Ming thought so, thirty years ago.

"Ayla, where are you?" Ming hears Sarah say.

Nothing happens.

"It's alright Ayla. It's it Sarah and Ming," Ming said. "Everything is going to be alright, but you have to come out."

Ayla leaves her hiding spot and runs into Ming's arms. After making sure she is fine Ming lifts her up and places Ayla on her hip. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Ayla answers. "She has been with me all the time."

"Who is?" Ming asks.

Ayla points to the throne, "She is."

For one moment Ming was afraid that Ayla was making things up, to deal with what had happened to her, but the gasp coming from Sarah made her rethink that thought. "You see her too?"

"Yes and no. I know it's Hyne, I've seen her before in my dream. Remember?"

She does remember, it's because of Sarah's dream and her necklace they knew what to do and how to find Ayla. _So Hyne is behind everything. The dreams, the gifts, my necklace, Seth's bracelet. How did she know everything?_

"I feel her," Sarah continued. "I think Ayla can see her because she is a Blue Mage."

_But shouldn't I be able to see her too, I am the first Blue Mage. In the end it all comes down to power, doesn't it. I don't have my Blue Magic anymore and since then, I am powerless. _

"Thank you," Ming said in the direction of the throne.

"She left," Ayla said after some time.

"Why?" Sarah wanted to know.

Ayla turns her head towards Sarah. "She said I was in good hands," and she shrugs her shoulders, as if that would explain everything.

Ayla is in good hands, but what about Seifer and Quistis. They asked her to find Ayla and make sure she is okay. She has found Ayla and Sarah can look after Ayla. She needs to know what is going down in the ruins. She needs to know how Seifer and Quistis are. Has Seth already joined them in their fight or is the fight already over? Did they kill Flynn or the other way around?

Not knowing what has happened to them is hurting her inside. She needs to know what has happened. She wants to see for herself. "Sarah help me with the joist, I need to see with my own eyes what is happening down there."

Sarah understands her needs and she helps lifting the joist. With a loud _bang_ the joist drops on the marble floor. "Watch out," Sarah said when Ming opens the door.

Ming nods her head and closes the door behind her. The last thing she saw was Ayla gripping Sarah's hand tightly before the door is closed.

It took her les then five minutes to get to the square with her daughters statue. _Kristy and Seth. _

She looks at the statue, and Ming thinks it is some kind of miracle, but the statue remains standing, unharmed, amidst all the damage around it.

Seth and Flynn are dancing around each other, their swords singing a bloodthirsty song. Quistis is trying to fix Seifer's sword arm but she is having trouble with it. Keeping an eye on the swordfighters she runs towards Seifer and Quistis and moves Quistis out of the way.

"Ming?" Quistis is surprised to see her here. "Is Ayla okay?"

"She is fine," Ming said while casting _cure_ on Seifer's arm.

"Thanks," Seifer said and he grabs his _Hyperion_ to help Seth.

Ming gives Quistis a potion and she gulps it down. Quistis isn't looking to good, she is rather pale and Ming knows this is caused by her 'coma'. But when she sees Seifer and Seth, they aren't looking much better. They will have to finish this soon, they can't hold on much longer.

On the bright side, Slade Flynn isn't too fresh looking anymore. But Ming can't be sure how much longer he can hold on. _But how long can we hold on? _

Finally Seth and Seifer are looking to be on the winning side but just as suddenly they are both pushed away from him. Nobody is in an attacking range and he has his scepter in his hands again. The same white light from before starts to spread around him and Ming knows that if they don't stop him now they will have to start looking all over for him again. _We've got to stop him, but how? _She herself is too far away and she knows that her magic's won't work against him.

'_Use the dagger.' _Someone said, she knows that voice and she trust it. She looks around for the dagger and she sees that Seth has clipped it to her belt.

"Seth, use your dagger!"

Seth looks around but has already drawn her dagger. With one swift action she throws the dagger towards Flynn and the dagger breaks the staff in two. "Where do you think you're going?" Seth asks sarcastically.

Flynn starts to mumble uncomprehending and Quistis steps forwards. Her arms spread and a blue hue is forming around her.

_Ray-Bomb._

Yellow orbs of magic surround Flynn before they explode. Flynn is slumping to his knees and Seifer steps into the fray.

_Fire Cross._

He cast a sprout of fire magic to Flynn and he moves _Hyperion _in an arc around him. He twirls around his own body and he moves to Flynn. His aim is perfect. His gunblade has cut his stomach.

Slade Flynn will die, it will take some time and he will die in pain. _This is what you deserve._

* * *

><p>How could this have happened? He had planned everything so carefully, and everything had gone according to his plan. But in the end it all went wrong?<p>

"We want some answers." The blond man with piercing green eyes said to him.

He crawls away from him but he is stopped by the woman-warrior. "Why do you want the Blue Mages death?"

Rage fills his chest when he thinks about the Blue Mages. He can't fail. He must kill them all.

With his last remaining strength he tries to sit upright but he is pushed down again by the Blue Mage. "Tell us everything. NOW." Trepe's brown leather boots press hard on his stomach, but he won't tell her anything.

Blood is seeping from his stomach and he knows he will die, but he can't die. He hasn't fulfilled his objects. He can't-

"Please," a woman he hadn't noticed before said to him. Her soft voice is like music to his ears. "Tell us why you did this? I can't heal you but I can relieve you off your pain. So please tell us."

It was hard to ignore this woman, especially when he looks at her with her clear eyes. _She looks like a queen. _

For one moment he didn't love Adel as much as he did this woman.

_Maybe she will understand why I did it. Maybe she will finish what I have started. Maybe she will save the world from this evil. _

Maybe? It was at least worth a shot.

His throat is dry and raw but he tells her everything.

_He is kneeling in front of Adel, she traces his yaw lovingly with her long fingernails. "Listen to him Slade," she purrs. "He has something important to say."_

_Behind the Sorceress is a small man in white robes, fidgeting and pulling at his robes. Adel pushes him forward and he stands before Slade. _

"_Their race will kill this world," he starts skeptically, but with every word his confidence grows. "The prophecy told us that. If they are aloud to remain living here, they will destroy this world."_

_The first seeds of his anger towards the Blue Mages were planted that day. _

He had forgotten that the others are still near them, he is so focuses on Ming. "That's when we started to kill all Blue Mages," he said proudly.

He didn't see Ming's disgusted look.

"_There is only one left, but she has escaped us."_

_Adel was furious, she needed all of them dead. And she told him so. "Then you'd better find her fast."_

_Slade would do anything for her, so the next year he spends looking for the last Blue Mage. He found her hidden in a cave on one of the Archipelago Islands. But she had been busy the last year. She is pregnant. Although he wanted to kill her that instants he can't, he never has killed any children and he wouldn't start now. _

_Once again Adel was furious, this time because he hadn't killed her yet. But after traveling with Quinn Trepe the last month he had found her species intriguing. He wanted to study her, know more about their race before he will kill them. _

He starts to cough roughly and Ming moves him gently so he is sitting with his back against the statue. "That's when I became the head of the Deep Sea Facility."

_He was running away as hard as he could, Stigma Weapon was close on his heels. _

_By some miracle he had come out of that building alive._

_He traveled a long time before he saw Adel again. He had lost the Blue Mage again, and now she has a daughter too. The world destroyers were doubled in numbers again. He had to do something to stop them, but first he needs to know where they are. _

_But Adel didn't mind about what happened with the Blue Mages, she was searching for some girl named Ellone. He had asked her who she is but she hadn't answered him. In fact she ignored him since that time._

_He knew he had failed her so he doubled his efforts to find Quinn Trepe and her daughter. _

_His efforts paid of, he found Quinn Trepe and he killed her in cold blood. But there was no trace of her daughter. _

_He wanted to tell Adel about the Last Blue Mage, but he couldn't find her. She was gone. _

The Blue Mage hit his yaw hard and if his stomach didn't hurt that much he would have probable screamed out loud in pain. He ignores his pain and focuses on the beautiful woman before him.

_For years I tried to find the Last Blue Mage but I never found any trail of her, someone is protecting her. _

_I've been hiding for so many years now that I sometimes wonder why I still go on. But then he hears the prophecy again and he knows he can't stop. Not until she is dead. _

_He found out she is a SeeD, but he can't get anywhere close to her. She grew in the ranks of SeeD and he sank to the lowest levels of life. He was living in the slums of Deling and he spotted her, he never saw her before, but he knew it was her, the Last Blue Mage. He tried to follow her in the sewers but he lost her. _

_His resolve sprung back to live and he tried to find her again. But it seems she had disappeared from the world. _

_Months later he knew Adel had come back. He could feel her and he tried to find her. He made it all the way to a giant floating building and he knew she was inside. _

_But there was one problem, he couldn't get in._

_His mistress spoke to him one more time, she told him who exactly was responsible for her death. He sworn to avenge her, and to his surprise the Blue Mage was one of them. _

_He planned his revenge, He didn't only want to kill her, the Last Blue Mage, but also her fellow SeeD. Nothing could kill these SeeD, He saw so in the news, nothing could kill them. But one day he rode an article about them fighting against Ultima Weapon and he knew how he could destroy all of them. _

_He waited for years, and when Trepe finally gave birth He was ready for the next Weapon. He would control him, but to his surprise there wasn't a Weapon created. He realizes that his theory was wrong, but how was Ultima Weapon created? In the end he found the answer, he needs the powers of a Blue Mage. _

_He sneaked onboard the _Thor_ and he killed the girl who was close to finding out what he was trying to do, create a Weapon. He killed her and took Trepe with him. He used her magic to create another Weapon with the machine in the DSR and then he left her there. Hoping she would die there, slowly. _

He wasn't finished with his story when her soft voice intervened. "It was all a lie, you killed my relatives for a _lie_."

He couldn't have done that, could he? He killed Blue Mages, not angels.

"I am the first Blue Mages, you've killed my daughters for nothing. There never was a prophecy, the world doesn't end if they remain alive. It will end when the last one of them is death. Adel lied to you."

_She lied to me? She wouldn't do that to me. No I don't believe you. _"I don't believe you!"

"_It's the truth."_

He thought that Adel was coming for him, but this woman has long silver hair instead of fiery red. He wants to take a closer look but his eyes have trouble focusing on this woman, and when he does she is gone in the blink of an eye. But the small Blue Mage and another woman are coming his way.

After the woman's word that they spoke the truth he has trouble believing it. He has lived by her words for decades, and now they say all of that is a lie? _Did I almost destroy the world instead of saving it?_

Looking at the reunion between the Blue Mages he begins to doubt everything he has lived for. _They aren't evil, how could I have believed that. And worst is, I almost killed a little kid, what have I done?_

"I am sorry," he choughs. He knows he doesn't have long to live but he must have said this. "I am sorry for everything. I didn't know. I didn't know."

If she was feeling sorry for him or if she wants to prolong his suffering he doesn't know, but he is glad for the small _cure _infusion she shot through his body.

"I ask of your forgiveness, if I could I would change what I've done."

"Shhh. Don't speak," the kind woman said.

"You were brainwashed, that is the power of the Sorceresses. You are not to blame, Adel is."

This woman is truly to kind. "I…Thank….You…"

He looks up one final time and for the first time he sees the statue properly. _The second Blue Mage and Queen of Numara_, he reads, _and the first Queen of Uhra_.

He never heard of the City of Uhra, so this statue must be really old. But if she is the second and this kind woman is the first, how old must she be?

He will never know that answer.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

First they were trapped inside a half-burned mansion. When they got back to the Ragnarok Ellone told them Quistis and Ayla are in danger but she didn't know where they are. They had tried to radio Esther and Balamb Garden, but their communication was down. They had no other choice but fly back to Esthar and hope nothing has happened in the meantime. And at the same time they still don't know where Seth is.

Arriving at Esthar Laguna had come to them and explained what had happened. The engines of the Ragnarok were still hot when they flew to the ruins where they found Odin in. Nobody wanted to be left behind so they all were sitting in the Ragnarok, including Cid, Edea, Kiros, Ward and even Nida went along. Kiros didn't want to be left behind so he appointed one of their aid's to watch over Esthar while they are gone.

_My Blue Heaven_. He is thankful that this time there is no clock ticking somewhere inside this ruins. Last time he was here they had thirty minutes to defeat Odin, it was a close call but they had received a great helping hand in the battles to come.

There were going with the same group, minus Seth, into the ruins. Their weapons drawn and Zell was tucking at his gloves. But they don't need their weapons.

At the feet of the statue lies Slade Flynn, dead. Ming, Sarah and _Seth? _Are standing near the body talking to each other. Seifer and Quistis are at the base of the stairs, Ayla is sitting between them, talking to them enthusiastic.

_They are all fine! _

Zell jumps high in the air, and he screams "Oh yeah!"

Behind him he can hear the others chuckle but he ignore them and run straight to Ayla, Quistis and Seifer.

Quistis is laughing at him and Seifer just shakes his head. Ayla jumps into his arms and he throws her in the air and catches her again.

Zell is so glad that everyone is alright and that everything is fine that he can't speak. He just holds his little niece close to him and let her talk.

"So he came to me and I lasered him!"

"O, you should have seen her." Seth throws her arm around Zell's shoulder. "She was great; her _Laser Eye _hit him straight in the chest. He was breathless for at least a few minutes, giving her the time to escape."

Squall and Irvine had brought a body bag from the Ragnarok and they had brought the others along with them.

Ayla squirmed out of his arms to give everyone a hug and Zell was just content with everyone greeting and hugging each other. He walks over to Squall and Irvine to look in the face of the man who is responsible for all this shit they have been going through the last few weeks.

He looks so peacefully, but thinking about everything he had done just made him angry. Ming had explained some things he had done, but Zell knows there is more to that story, but not for today. Squall and Irvine bring his body to the Ragnarok and Zell takes a good look at the statue. Two women standing back to back, their fingers intertwined.

"The woman on the right is your ancestor," Seth stands next to him, her eyes on the statue. "Seth of Uhra, you've heard of her right?"

Dumbfounded Zell nods his head. _So this is my ancestor? Tolten's daughter. _

"Next to her is Kristy of Numara, daughter of Ming and Jansen. She is the first born Blue Mage, she is Quistis' ancestor."

Zell didn't know what to say. He had tried to form a picture in his mind about his ancestors, but to see her standing there proudly, a crown placed on her head, he doesn't know what to say. And then to think about Ming's daughter, she is still here while her daughter is long gone. Zell can't imagine how she must feel, seeing her daughter here.

Zell was just watching in awe at the statue when Ayla walked over to him and Seth. Ayla tugs on Seth's skirt. "She wants you to come to Odin's room."

Before Zell can ask her _'who wants her to come',_ Ayla asks them.

"Who is Odin?"

Seth kneels down to Ayla's level and she explains, "He is a guardian. He helped us save this world, he is a friend. He has a six-legged horse named Sleipnir-"

Looking at Seth talking to Ayla he feels something stir inside him, something he hasn't felt in a long time. His eye fall back on the statue and he wishes he could meet those two women and their fathers.

A soft hand on his arm brings him back to the present. "You coming?"

He nods his head and links his arm with Ellone's. Making the long way up.

Zell watches with the others the three ex-immortals women walk in Odin's chamber before the thick wooden doors close, leaving the others outside. Inside someone is waiting for them, and she has a proposition for them.

* * *

><p>The doors close with a soft <em>cling, <em>leaving the three women in an empty throne room. They have been here many times before, when another king was seated in that throne. The queen that followed her and the king's and queens after that. But off the City of Uhra not much was left, it is not the same grand city like it used to be.

"_Welcome daughters."_

The three woman stand in the middle of the room while Hyne is sitting on the throne.

"_You have done well. You have saved the world. For that, I thank you. All of you."_

Sarah can almost feel the love Hyne is sending towards them, towards her for the one she lost. None of them speak and Hyne continuous.

"_The last threat of the Blue Mages is gone. I can't see into the future, but I know that for many years the world will be safe."_

Sarah grabs Ming's hand, she can feel her happiness and she feels it too. But she knows now is not the time to celebrate yet. There is a reason why they were brought here, and she would like to now what that reason is.

"_You have a choice; you can either stay here or return to our world. But know this, once you have chose you can't go back. This time I will close the portals myself. Choose wisely."_

Sarah has already chosen. There is no way she will leave the only family she has left behind, but she does have a question. "If we choose to stay, how long will we remain living in this world? We are not immortal anymore."

"_That's a fair question. Your lifespan will decrease enormous. I can't say for sure how long you will life. It can be ten years, it can be fifty. I don't know."_

Saying she is shocked is an overstatement but she is surprised Hyne doesn't know the answers. _But who does know all answers? No one. _But even if she has only ten years left, ten years spent with her daughters is ten years well spent.

"I'll stay," she said determined. "They are the only family I have left, I won't leave them again. I'll stay."

"_Come forward child."_

Standing before the throne Sarah kneels on one knee. Hyne places her hand on the crown of her head and a soft light engulfs her, only for a second. Her lips descend on Sarah's head and she announces.

"_It's done, you are finally home."_

She feels like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders. She has tried to ignore this for weeks, but she knew she had to return once this threat was dissolved. She tried not to think about saying goodbye to her daughter again, but now she doesn't need to. She will stay here and hopefully she will still be here to see her daughter get children of herself. She wants to see this closely knit family grow, and she wants to be part of it.

"I like to stay here too."

Ming's decision was expected. Like herself, she knows that Ming won't leave this family behind, especially not Quistis and Ayla. Because of their Blue Magic they have already formed such strong bonds that will be hard to separate. Ten years ago when all of them were in their own world again Ming had trouble adjusting. She had to deal with the lost of her powers, but Sarah had that same problem. But unlike Sarah, Ming had remained in this world while Sarah had spent big amounts off time in their home world. _Former home world. _Sarah did feel her own lost, with losing Ellone, her daughter. But their magic bounds weren't anywhere near that strong as Ming's and Quistis were.

Seth however doesn't have that kind of bond with this group of people yet, she didn't think Seth had even talked with Irvine alone. He is her descendant and they didn't even spend some time together. She hopes Seth will choose to stay so she can get to know her descendant, and really know all of them.

"_Two have chosen to stay, what do you choose child?"_

Seth is scraping with the toes of her boots on the marble floor. Sarah wants to help her make her choice but she knows it is Seth's decision and she has to make it on her own. But as a friend she wants to shout at her, _stay with us. _But she doesn't do that, so she waits silently with Ming next to her.

"_Come forward."_

Undecided Seth steps forward and she has her head hung low.

"_I have looked in your heart and I see what is troubling you. You don't have to worry about that, such a thing can never happen again."_

Sarah wonders what is bothering her friend so much and Ming spoke her thought out loud.

"Seth, what is she talking about?"

"Time Compression," Seth said still with her head hung low. "It was because of the presence of us Immortals that the Time Compressed world was created. Because of us the world was almost destroyed, because of us-"

"_You forget one thing child. You are no longer immortal."_

Seth's head shuts up and Sarah knows she has made her decision. "Are you absolutely sure?" Seth asks Hyne.

"_I am. And I see that you have made your choice."_

Hyne repeats the same ritual and when she is finished Seth walks over to Ming and Sarah and the three of them share a hug.

"_Farewell children."_

* * *

><p>Selphie is sitting at one of the fallen pillars; Irvine is sitting behind her holding her close to his chest. Both their hands are placed on her still flat stomach. <em>Everything is finally alright, pumpkin.<em>

Sarah had just told them all what had happened before, how they had a choice to make and what they had chosen. She is glad all three of them have decided to stay here, they are all part of their family and she doesn't want to say goodbye to them, again.

She would be sad if they had decided to leave, although she would have understood if they did. Selphie doesn't know and doesn't want to think about what she would have chosen. But the fact is that Sarah is also her ancestor, she hadn't thought of this before but she is the grandmother of both Mack and Cooke. _So I am both related to Squall and Ellone, neat. _Selphie thinks grinning. But foremost Sarah is Ellone's mother and that is how she will continue to see her.

She can't remember Ming as clearly as Seifer and Quistis or even Irvine, but she has one clear memory of her. _She was four and she couldn't sleep. A nightmare was plaguing her but she can't remember any of it, just that it was scary. She walked over to Quisty's bed, Quisty always let her sleep with her after a nightmare, but her bed was empty. She turned around to run to Ellone and tell her that Quisty is missing when she saw her standing outside on the beach. She isn't alone, Ming is sitting next to her and both their gazes are glued on the moon. She wanted to join them outside but Edea found her watching them and put her down in her own bed. She sat with her until she fell asleep again. She dreamed about dancing on the beach in the moonlight. _Aunt Ming they use to call her, and Selphie will call her that again. Maybe spending more time with her will trigger her memory, Selphie hopes so.

And Seth, she is just glad Irvine will get to know his ancestor. And she can't wait to here her stories about her own ancestors. Ming told her that Cooke idolizes Seth when she was younger; she wanted to be a pirate too.

Irvine places his chin on her shoulder and brings her back to the present.

She hears him sigh and she asks him softly, "You happy she is staying?"

"Sure am." Irvine squeezes his arms a bit and Selphie relaxes in his embrace. "She has been her for over three weeks and I haven't even spoken to her."

"It seems you have plenty of time to make up for that lost time. And now we have another great story-teller in our midst."

Irvine chuckles and removes his arms, "I think it is time to go."

Selphie looks to the others behind the statue and she can see that all of them are walking back to the Ragnarok. Selphie slides down from the pillar, next to her Irvine does the same and with their fingers intertwined they walk back to the red dragon. Selphie looks back one time and her eyes fall on the statue of the two queens._ I whish you could have met your descendants, and I whish we could have met you. _

The flight back was a bit crowded, it was even busier in the Ragnarok then ten years ago, but it was also quiet. Exhaustion finally caught up with all of them. Selphie and her co-pilot Zell brought them all back save to Esthar and once they arrived there everyone went to their own room.

Selphie drops down on her queen-size bed and she falls asleep immediately, safely nestled in Irvine's strong arms.

* * *

><p>The Estharian memorial is void except for one person. His crutches sound softly in this holy place. He makes his way to the back of the cemetery, the place where the most recent graves are.<p>

The mark he is searching for is plain and simple. She didn't have any family left, an orphan. She lived in an orphanage in Esthar before she became a SeeD in Balamb. She didn't have many friends, she always has been a kind of a loner, but Nida is glad to see that she did have visitors. A bundle of yellow roses from her former class. White lilies from the directory off SeeD, Xu probably send them. Blue forget-me-nots from her best friend with a note attached to it, _you are not alone. Love Smea. _And peach tulips from Quistis. _When was she here? _He doesn't ponder on that question; instead he looks at the colorful flowers placed on her grave. He wanted to visit her earlier, but he never really found the gut to do so. Almost four weeks after she was buried he visits her grave.

_Delia Neva._

_19 years._

_SeeD, Technical Division. _

If he could he would have brought flowers, but instead he gives her a necklace. This necklace was a gift to him; his aunt gave it to him before she died. She was his only relative and she was sick. His aunt had only a few days to live and she wanted to make sure Nida would have a proper future ahead. Nida had just turned eleven when his aunt had enlisted him in SeeD. In one month from now he would have to report to SeeD and that place was going to be his new home. The day before she died, his Aunt gave him this necklace. A thin silver chain with a small, simple pendant, a small sentence carved inside, _Despair - To be forgotten is worse than death._

His aunt told him that she got this necklace from her husband after her sister, his mother, died. She also told him that this necklace is a reminder, she never forgot her sister and Nida would never forget her. He didn't need the necklace to remind him of that fact, but he felt like Delia need this reminder. He surely will never forget her.

He still feels partly responsible for her death so he will make sure people will remember who she is.

He places the thin necklace around the cross and he checks his watch. _I'd better hurry or else I'll be late. _

He leaves her grave feeling much better.

He had one more grave he wanted to visit. He didn't make it to his funeral but he wanted to say goodbye to him.

_Kaim Argonar._

_Immortal who died to save this world._

He places his hand on the tombstone and says a silent prayer before he walks away from the cemetery. At the nearest hover he climbs awkwardly aboard and when he is seated the hover takes him to Esthar's finest restaurants. _Just two more days, _Nida reminds himself patting his leg. In two days he will be finally rid of his crutches and he can't wait until that day.

Getting in the hover was hard, getting out even harder so he was glad for the help he got from her. "You okay?" Her dark eyes bore into his.

"'M fine." Nida replied before kissing her. Xu had offered to go with him but he had declined her help, he needed to go alone and Xu had understood. "You ready to go?"

"I am." Xu adjusts her pace to Nida's, "Were exactly are we going?"

"You'll see," he said mysteriously.

When they had just returned from _My Blue Heaven, _and he had slept one night he knew what he had to do. Since they shared their first kiss things had slowed down between them, that wasn't that strange considering what was happening with their friends, but now that everything is alright again he wants to speed things up a bit.

He remembers the conversation he had with Quistis inside the _Thor, _before everything went wrong.

"_What are you going to do when we get back?" _

"_I don't know yet. After the party I think I will stay a few days in Esthar." He chuckled slightly "In all these years I never have been in Esthar outside of work."_

"_Really?" Quistis has a smile on her face "So you never have been to the good restaurants either?"_

"_Nope. Every time I was in Esthar I was either working inside the Presidential Palace, Odine's labs or the Airport, I never had time to relax in the city."_

"_Well then, I know this really good place. Seifer used to take me there. The have the best steaks in the world."_

"_I will take your suggestion and go there-"_

"_Not alone" Quistis interrupted him "you need a date."_

"_You offering?"_

"_No." Quistis holds her hand up, the silver wedding ring gleaming under the light of the stars "I am already taken."_

"_It was worth a shot." Nida said with a straight face, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly._

_His face looked so funny that Quistis couldn't help but laugh and smack him on the arm._

"_I am serious, maybe you should ask Xu." _

Quistis always has a keen eye, and she wasn't wrong in her assumption. He did have a crush on her for a long time, but there never seemed to be a right time to tell her that. With the years it only got harder and harder and he forced himself to forget about her, but he is glad he couldn't.

"Quistis recommended this place, so it should be good."

Xu's eyebrows lift up and the most beautiful smile he has ever seen graces her face. "I hope you brought your checkbook, we are gonna need it."

* * *

><p>"So how was your date?" Dr. Lisa Kadowaki asks.<p>

Nida flushes a bright red and he mutters, "Good."

Lisa smiles at his reaction and removes the last of Nida's cast. "It's looking good but I want to make an x-ray, just to be sure."

Checking his photo she is happy that everything is as it should be. She tells Nida the good news and he jumps off the table and he would have fallen if not for Lisa grabbing his arm. "Take it easy, you haven't used that leg in four weeks."

Nida puts his weight carefully on his leg and he takes a few tentative steps. Lisa sees he will be fine and she walks him out of her infirmary. Xu is waiting for him and she waves to the dark haired woman before returning inside.

She was back in Garden for only a few days and she was glad to see her infirmary empty. Jennifer did a good job while she was in Esthar.

The last few days were hectic for her, she wanted to make sure everyone is okay but getting them to her infirmary is hard. Not for the first time all of them had avoided her like the plague, but she was around for long enough to find ways to get them to her.

Nobody was hurt badly, while all of them had slight wounds from their respectively battles against Slade Flynn and the Gerogero**. **They were all fine, _Thank Hyne. _

Slowly she was getting used to her daily routine again, but with the vacation it was still calm in Garden for which she was grateful. She only had to finish some paperwork before she could go to the party.

Although party is a big word, it is actually a dinner with everyone. They didn't celebrate their tenth anniversary off the defeat of the Sorceresses because of this new threat and now this threat was taken care off they could celebrate again. But none of them felt anything for a big party so they had decided to keep it small. In the Estharian Palace they would enjoy the best food from Esthar, or so Laguna had told them.

Signing the final paper and putting them on the stack with the others she hangs her lab coat on her chair and puts out the light before closing the doors. She always felt good if she could lock her infirmary like this, it means there is no one lying sick in one of her hospital beds.

Lisa had already chosen what she would wear this evening and every item was lying neatly on her bed. After showering she puts on her black skirt and grey blouse and has just a few minutes left before Nero Zwart will pick her up. The young SeeD was invited for their private party, he was with Fujin and Rajin in the DSR when they found Quistis and he found the private files of Slade Flynn which helped them find him. She overheard Xu and Squall talking about him yesterday, it wouldn't be long before he would get promoted to leader of the White SeeD, _and he deserves it. _

Five minutes later Nero Zwart stands before her doors in his SeeD uniform. "Ready to go ma'am?" he asks politely while offering his arms.

"Ready," she said while linking her arm with his.

In the parking lot Xu and Nida are already waiting for them. The four of them step in the black car and Xu drives them to Esthar's Palace.

At the palace the guards led them to the dining room, which for the opportunity was decorated in the colors of Balamb Garden; blue, green and yellow. This was of course Selphie's doing, but she had kept it simple this time. If this was due to the time she had to prepare for this or with the warning she had sent Selphie, she didn't know.

A long single table was filling the room with over twenty chairs around it. They were the last to arrive, they were also the only one who were in Balamb Garden. The rest were all staying in Esthar. She sits at the end of the table between her college Jennifer Beckett and an Estharian Soldier, Cody Ryan.

Laguna clinks his glass and scrapes his throat. "Thank you all for coming here," Laguna begins. "I want to say thanks to all of you. It was only because we all worked together we could destroy this threat. So once again thank you and enjoy!"

The waiters brought plates with different kinds of meat, vegetables and salads. There were potatoes and French fries, enough food to feed an entire village.

Small talk filled the room and Lisa was having a conversation with Jennifer about her husband. "So that's how he asked me to marry him," Jennifer has tears in her eyes from laughing. "Of course I had to say yes then. I couldn't leave him hanging like that!"

Lisa shakes her head laughingly and takes a sip from her red whine. At the other end of the table Squall sputters his whine out and asks, "Where is my car?"

"At the abandon train station, ya know." Rajin answered him truthfully. Seeing Squall's murderous look he whispers, "Cid said we could us it, ya know. We just haven't brought him back."

Seifer laughs and Fujin rolls her eye. Cid looks nervously around and in the end it is Rinoa who calms Squall down and tells him they will get his car back tomorrow.

After they had finished eating Ayla fell asleep on the sofa in the corner of the room. Everyone else was enjoying their time together, it wasn't often that all of them were together in the same place. Looking around at everyone's faces, she feels blessed to know this group off people.

* * *

><p>An. Yes, I stole that line from Final Fantasy IX. But only because I love it so much!


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 (Epilogue)**

_Eighteen months later._

Her little sister was finally here. She had been waiting for her for hours and finally she was here. Her mother is tired, her father holds out her little sister in her arms.

"Her name is Ixia Ming Almasy," her father said softly, so not to wake the baby.

Her mother told her she can't play with her until she is older, but she doesn't mind she is just happy to have a sibling, just like her cousins.

Mack Sed Kinneas and Cooke Seth Kinneas had their first birthday just a month ago. At first she was mad at them, why had they each other while she had no one? It just wasn't fair! She wanted a sibling too, and today she got one.

Her sister opens her eye and starts to cry, thick tears collect in the corner of Ixia's eyes.

"What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong honey," her father replied. He lifts Ixia to his chest and supports her head, "She is just hungry."

Her father left and Rinoa enters the room. She sits down and pets her lab for Ayla to sit in. "So you are a big sister now." Ayla nods her head eagerly and Rinoa smiles. "Being a big sister is a lot of work, you know-"

Ayla listens eagerly to what her aunt tells her, she will be the best big sister anyone can have.

* * *

><p><em>Five years later.<em>

How she whish her sister would stop squirming. "Sit still," she hisses and Ixia, for once, listens to her big sister and sits completely still, which is a hard task for any four year old.

Their mom was busy helping Selphie with the preparations of the wedding and their dad, despite his years of practice, still can't make a braid. So Ayla has to braid her sister's hair.

The door chimes and her father opens the door. Uncle Irvine and _The Twin, _as they use to call Mack and Cooke, enter their Garden apartment. The twin run op to them and Ayla is glad she was finished with Ixia's braid; with the hyper-active twins around she can't sit still.

The three of them are close friends and they have already been up to a lot of mischief, her father calls them jokingly _the_ _Troublesome Threesome. _

Cooke's brown hair is put in two cute pigtails and her light brown eyes have mesmerized many people before, her cute look got her out of troubles for many times. She wears a light yellow dress with white and pink flowers, the same Ixia is wearing. They are the flower girls for their uncles wedding. She can still remember when she herself was the flower girl, she was five and Selphie and Irvine were getting married. She didn't remember much of the ceremony or the party afterwards, but she does remember how much fun she had with throwing flower petals in the air.

Mack's hair is a lighter brown then his sisters but his eyes are dark brown. He is wearing a suit similar to his fathers with a cute yellow bow.

Looking in the mirror Ayla smoothes her own pale blue dress, she is the ring bearer and thinking about that, she really should be going now.

"I am going to aunt Rinoa," she tells her father before she slips out of the door.

Rinoa and Squall's apartment was across of theirs, so in a total of seven steps she was standing at their door.

Uncle Squall opens the door and he has one of her cousins in her arm, Kaim Cid, or KC as they call him. He has the same dark hair as her aunt Rinoa and blue-greenish eyes. He and his sister were adopted by her aunt and uncle two years ago; they were still baby's then. When she had asked why her mother had a big tummy before Ixia came and Rinoa didn't when KC and June came, Quistis had explained to her that Rinoa couldn't get any children and those two children needed loving parents so Rinoa and Squall are going to love them like any parent would.

"Rinoa is waiting for you," Squall said and Ayla walks inside to the bathroom.

Rinoa is there with June, she is named after both her grandmothers Julia and Raine, she has blond hair but it is much darker then her own honeyed color. She has the same eyes as her brother but that is where the similarities stop. Were June is a quit child KC is often loud. But Ayla loves to spend time with the toddlers.

"Ah there you are," Rinoa had just finished dressing June and she shoos her daughter out of the bathroom. "Are you ready?"

Ayla nods her head, "Do you have the rings?"

Rinoa smiles warmly and she retrieves a small box out of a drawer she opens the lid and two silver bands are neatly placed on a soft small pillow. She closes the lid and drops the box in her purse, "We're ready. Let's get going."

She was a bit nervous but her aunt Selphie told her not to worry and she believes her. She is sitting at the first row and she is waiting until she has to go up the stage and bring them the rings.

She was so nervous she missed her queue and her father had to nudge her before she remembers her part in this ceremony.

Rings are exchanged by her aunt and uncle and vows are spoken. The cleric pronounces them man and wife. They share a kiss and her father's words shoot through her head. _The hotdog-lover and the pirate, who would have thought of that?_

_I would, _Ayla thinks. _They are so funny together. _

* * *

><p><em>Eight years later.<em>

It's her first day as a student in Balamb Garden, she has lived in BG for thirteen years but finally she is a student here. A student who has to choose what weapon she will wield. She has of course her own 'secret' weapon, her Blue Magic but she also has to choose another set of weapons. First she wanted to choose one of the weapons her parents wield, but the gunblade is too heavy for her and she had used her mothers whip once, and let's just leave it at it, that it didn't go too well. A trip to Dr. Kadowaki was necessary.

But she still had some time to choose, well she did have one day before she had to decide which weapon she will use during her first term. She knows that most people stick with the weapon they have chosen in the first term so she wants to make the right choice.

At the end of the day she had chosen a weapon, a Chakram. She was always accurate, she had a lot of practice throwing stuffed animals to her sister and their cousins, and her aim is almost perfect.

Ayla can't wait to tell Fujin which weapon she has chosen, but she will have to wait for some time. Fujin is on a SeeD mission together with Rajin and Nero Zwart. The three of them are the leaders of the White SeeD and they spend most their time on the ocean, their newest project is searching for anything of Numara. After Seth found some ruins of another city from her time Ming had asked SeeD if they could look for Numara, she had wanted to see her city one more time. The city she had ruled over for over thousands year.

She is slightly disappointed she can't tell her aunt face to face but maybe she could call her? It never hurt to ask if she could, right?

Not surprisingly Fujin was delighted when Ayla told her. She had even promise to help her training with her Chakram when she was back. Sadly it would take three more weeks before they are back, but she will stay in Garden for the next month. Enough time for Ayla to master this weapon.

* * *

><p><em>Twelve years later. <em>

She couldn't believe it, after four years of hard working she finally was a SeeD. A fully fledge Seed, just like her parents.

After the SeeD party she would go with her family to Esthar, Laguna was finally going to retire and Ellone was going to be the new president of Esthar. She goes from one party to the other but she doesn't mind, she is just glad to see everyone again.

It was rare for their large family to be together. With Sarah staying in Esthar with her daughter, Laguna, Kiros and Ward. Seth is sailing the sea together with Zell, he had asked for a leave two years ago and he hadn't returned so far. Squall didn't mind as long as he would help them occasionally, which he always does. Seth and Zell's son Tolten is enjoying his time on the _Neptune._

Selphie, Irvine and the twin are dividing their time between Balamb and Trabia. One year from now the twin will start their own education in Garden, although they still don't know if they start in Trabia or go directly to Balamb. She hopes they will go to Balamb, if only for her sister. Without the twins her sister has become a bit lonely. Rinoa is living at the orphanage with Ming, Edea, Cid, KC and June. Squall is these days spending most of his time there too. Rinoa has many children under her roof and she dreads the moment her children chose to become a SeeD, she knows it is inevitable but she knows both KC and June will go to Balamb. It will be hard for Rinoa but she can't leave the other orphans alone, they still need her. The plus side is that it will take some year before they can even enlist, so she doesn't have to worry yet. Nida and Xu are secretly married in Esthar last year, she only knows because her mother was Xu's witness. They are still in BG doing what they have done for so many years. Her mother is a teacher and even her father has a part-time job as weapon-instructor.

Tomorrow she will see all of them, her whole family together again.

Today she will party!

She is a SeeD and hopefully she will get her first mission soon. She hopes it isn't the kind of mission Squall, Zell and Selphie started with. She hopes the world doesn't need saving, she had already played a part in saving the world years ago and that was enough for her.

* * *

><p><em>Eighteen years later. <em>

Six years after her own graduation she is clapping for her little sister, Ixia has made it into SeeD. Together with Cooke and Mack she had nailed their exam. She was so glad for Ixia that she had tears in her eyes. Her boyfriend squeezes her arm to ask if everything is alright, Ayla nods her head and smiles through her tears, "I am just so happy." He pulls her to his chest and hugs her.

She has never felt so save before in anyone else's arms, well maybe except for her father and uncle's but they don't count.

As tradition a waltz begins and he leads her to the ballroom. They swirl together on _Eyes on Me, _the song singed by her aunt's mother. They dance until her feet are sore and still they dance some more. She dances with her boyfriend and with Mack, her sister's boyfriend. Cooke is dancing with Ayla's boyfriend and Ixia is talking with Squall. After the song ended she slipped away to the balcony to watch the moon.

The moon is hanging high in the sky and it is like to moon sings to her. Till this day they still don't know why the Blue Mages are attracted by the moon, but they are. It doesn't take long for the others to join her in her gazing. Ixia, her mother and Ming, four Blue Mages, although Ming doesn't have her magic anymore she still hears the moon's calling, staring at the sky.

Ming is Ixia's godmother and she didn't want to miss her godchild's graduation party. Their grandparents couldn't make it, Edea and Cid are staying at the orphanage while Rinoa is here in Garden and Laguna wasn't feeling too well these last few weeks. Dr. Jennifer Beckett told them he was going to be alright _if_ he takes his rest, so Squall had forbid him to come here.

June, KC and Tolten weren't aloud to participate in the graduation party so Ixia Cooke and Mack had promised to visit them after their party ended. What the _Troublesome Threesome _didn't know was the surprise they had in store for them. They had told Ayla and she had even helped them with arranging things. She didn't want to miss the tiniest bit of the surprise so she had to hurry, dragging her boyfriend with her.

The surprise was simple, a secret party with food from the cafeteria. That is what they needed Ayla for; she was befriended with the daughter of the cafeteria lady so she had connections. She had made them cake, pie and sandwiches. She even had given Ayla some hotdogs, the cafeteria lady knows that Tolten is addicted to that food, just like his father still is.

The _Troublesome Threesome _had been surprised and the eight of them partied throughout the night.

* * *

><p><em>Twenty-three years later. <em>

"I wished you could have met her," Ayla stands at Ming's grave and she rubs her large belly. "She was the first Blue Mage, she is our ancestor. She was a kind and gentle woman and she has helped me a lot."

Ming passed away a year ago. She didn't know how long she would be able to live in this world and Ayla is really happy she had hold on for twenty-two years. She knows she is finally reunited with her family and she is happy for her, but she had also whished that she would still be here when the next Blue Mage was born. Sadly she couldn't hold on that long, but she was present at her wedding.

She is married for two years and in one month she will become a mother.

The sounds of engines make her look up to see the _Loki _flying overhead her._ Loki_ is the newest of spaceships. Her husband is just returning home and hopefully he brought back some moonstones, the real ones and not the fake ones that can be found on earth. _Mom will love them._

Riding her car to the Lunar Base she can't wait to kiss her husband. He had been gone for two weeks, but those where too long weeks for Ayla. With her large belly she can't work, in fact she can't do a lot of things. She will be happy when her daughter will come out of her. Her husbands spots her and his entire face lifts up, in three large steps he is near her and he kisses her on the mouth before he kisses her belly. "I got you some moonstones," he said after he had kissed her again on the lips. "Mom will love them."

_Mom and me too. _"Let's go home," Ayla twirls her car keys around her finger. "Mom will be glad to see you, but I can't see the same thing about dad." She can't help but add that last part, even after knowing her dad for years; her husband is still a bit weary for him.

Her father wasn't happy at first when she brought her boyfriend, now husband, home, but then again, when was he ever? None of her boyfriends did get her fathers approval, but her mother has always been very understanding and she supported her. Maybe she did it mostly to repel her father, but she knows her mother agrees with her choice. She was so happy when Ayla told her she was going to have a baby while her dad grumbled that he was too young to be a grandfather, but she knows that deep inside he can't wait for his granddaughter to arrive. And Ixia can't wait to become an aunt.

One month later Jesselyn was born. The last in the line of Blue Mages but not the last. Ixia told her she was expecting too. In eight months her niece will arrive in this world and Ayla is glad that they can deliver healthy babies in this peaceful world.

_The End._


End file.
